NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Junior forward Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) forced overtime when he hit a buzzer-beating jump shot but it was not enough as the Niagara University men’s basketball team (9-10, 4-4) suffered a 91-86 overtime loss to league-leading Marist College (14-4, 6-1) Thursday night in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Gallagher Center.

Niagara trailed 76-74 after Marist’s Jared Jordan sank the second of a two-shot foul. The Purple Eagles inbounded the ball to Fisher, who drove the right sideline before making a 17-footer as the buzzer sounded.

Marist’s James Smith opened overtime with a three-point field goal and the Red Foxes never trailed. Will Whittington, who scored 10 of his 17 points in overtime, sank two three-pointers and four free throws in the extra session. Jordan, the NCAA leader in assists, had 26 points and eight assists. Jordan scored 23 of his 26 points in the second half. Smith had 19 points while Wilfred Benjamin had career-high totals in points, 20, and rebounds, nine.

The Purple Eagles got 18 points each from seniors J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) and Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.). Brown added 11 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the season and 14th in his career. Fisher added a career-high 16 rebounds to go with his 16 points for his second double-double of the season and fourth in his career. Senior guard Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) added 14 points.

Niagara trailed 15-7 after a Smith three-pointer at 15:22 in the first half. The Purple Eagles then scored the game’s next 11 points, taking an 18-15 lead at 10:55 on a Duffey basket. Niagara then opened a five-point lead, 25-20, on a Miles’ three-pointer at 6:20 before Marist responded with an 11-4 run to take a 31-29 lead on a Jordan three-pointer at 2:57. Fisher scored back-to-back baskets to give the Purple Eagles a 36-35 halftime lead.

Duffey got consecutive baskets to give Niagara a 52-44 lead with 12:58 to play. Marist fought back to tie the game, 59-59, on a Smith layup. The teams traded the lead until Fisher’s shot.

Niagara returns to action Saturday when it hosts Iona College at 2 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.