NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Senior forward Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.) scored a career-high 33 points as the Niagara University men’s basketball team (1-3) recorded a 74-63 non-conference win over St. Bonaventure (3-2) Wednesday night at the Reilly Center in Olean, N.Y.

The win, Niagara’s third-straight victory at the Reilly Center, was Niagara’s first of the 2006-07 season.

The Purple Eagles trailed 27-19 with 3:15 to play in the first half before closed the half with an 9-0 run. Brown scored five points and freshman guard Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) added the other four points.

Niagara then used a 13-2 run to open the second half to pull away to a 41-29 lead. Brown scored seven points during that run while classmates Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) and J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) added three-point field goals. Duffey’s three-pointer, at 17:35, gave Niagara a 41-29 lead.

St. Bonaventure responded with a 17-8 run to come within three, 49-46, with 10:45 remaining on a Paul Williams basket. But Brown scored four-straight points to push the Niagara lead to seven, 53-46.

Duffey finished with 16 points while Miles added 10 points.

Niagara, which had only made 11 three-pointers in its first three games, sank seven three-pointers vs. the Bonnies. Niagara was 7 of 14 from three-point range and 26 of 52 from the field.

Lewis snared a career- and game-high 10 rebounds for Niagara. Brown also recorded nine rebounds.

St. Bonaventure’s Williams and Michael Lee each scored 14 points to lead the Bonnies.

The Purple Eagles return to action Saturday when they play Big Four rival Buffalo at 7 p.m. in Alumni Arena.