Junior Clif Brown registered his first 30-plus point game of his career Saturday night. |
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara University junior forward Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.) scored a career-high 32 points Saturday night but it was not enough as the Purple Eagles fell 88-82 to Valparaiso University in non-conference action at the ARC. The game was from the pool of teams under consideration for the BracketBuster Saturday presented by eBay package of games. The game is one of 50 pool games Saturday, promoting teams in "mid-major" conferences and pitting NCAA Tournament hopefuls against each other.
Niagara scored 54 points in the second half by shooting 56.8 percent (21 of 37). Brown led the way with 25 points and a 10-of-13 shooting performance from the field. Brown’s 32 points are the most scored by a Purple Eagle since Juan Mendez scored 39 points in an overtime win vs. Canisius on Feb. 16, 2005.
Valparaiso (16-9, Mid-Continent Conference) used a 7-0 run to close the first half and take a 42-28 lead at halftime. Brown, who also led the Purple Eagles with eight rebounds, brought Niagara (10-15) within seven, 35-28, when he completed a three-point play with 1:27 remaining.
The Purple Eagles scored the second half’s first nine points to come within five, 42-37, when junior guard Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) hit a three-pointer with 16:53 to play. Miles, who finished with 13 points, brought the Purple Eagles within three, 45-42, when he completed a three-point play with 15:47 remaining.
Valparaiso responded with a 10-0 run, capped on Ron Howard’s three-pointer with 13:59 left, for a 55-42 lead. The teams traded baskets and the Crusaders held an 80-65 lead with 4:38 to left.
Brown and junior guard Barry Durosier (Orlando, Fla.) each scored five points to bring Niagara within seven, 82-75, at 1:56. Brown added five more points in the final stretch.
Senior forward James Mathis (Newark, N.J.) finished with 12 points while junior forward J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) added 11 points. Durosier had 10 points in a reserve role.
Dan Oppland led Valparaiso with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Howard finished with 15 points.
Niagara returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Feb. 23 against Marist in Poughkeepsie. The game will be broadcast by MAAC TV and is slated for a 7:15 p.m. start.
