NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Junior forward Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) returned to the Niagara University men’s basketball lineup (3-6, 1-1) with a vengeance Tuesday night. Fisher scored a game-high 26 points to help the Purple Eagles to a 79-58 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Iona College (0-2, 0-9) in the Haynes Center.

Fisher, in his first game and start of the season, led four Purple Eagles in double figures. Senior Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.) recorded his third double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Classmate Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) had a season-best 18 points and nine assists, and senior J.R. Duffey (Ft. Worth, Texas) added 10 points.

Niagara opened the game with a 30-8 lead and never trailed. Fisher scored 11 first-half points and Duffey seven to give the Purple Eagles a 34-18 halftime lead.

The Gaels cut Niagara’s lead to 11 points in the second half when they went on an 11-4 run with Anthony Bruin scoring five of his team-high 18 points. The Purple Eagles rebuilt their double-digit lead with four consecutive free throws from Miles with 11:56 left.

Miles’ long three-pointer with 2:23 to play, gave Niagara its largest lead of the game, 76-49.

Niagara returns to action Saturday when it travels to Mt. Pleasant, Mich., to meet Central Michigan at 2 p.m. in Rose Arena.