RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Junior Sarah Wilson (St. Catharines, Ont.) scored a career-high 18 points to lead four Niagara University women’s basketball players in double digits in a 70-51 victory over Manhattan College (4-10, 1-3) Monday night in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action in Draddy Gym.

Wilson came off the bench for her 18 points. She was 8 of 11 from the field and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds. Senior Shaunna Ambrose (McKees Rock, Pa.) and freshman Jennifer McNamee (Oxford, Ohio) each scored 14 points while junior Michelle Manfredi (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) collected 12 points and a team-best eight rebounds. Sophomore Erika Harris (Gahanna, Ohio) dished out a career-high six assists.

"We finally played the way we are capable of playing," Niagara head coach Bill Agronin said. "We had good production off the bench and Sara Wilson came to play tonight."

In the first half, Niagara opened with a 14-5 run and pushed to a 17-point lead, 30-13, on a Wilson layup with 3:29 left in the half. The forward collected 10 first-half points.

With a 34-18 lead at the half, the Purple Eagles built a 20-point lead, 38-18, just under two minutes into the second half on junior Sara Prybyl’s (Mars, Pa.) layup. Niagara would have two other 20-point leads at 40-20 with 17:27 left and 54-35 with 7:38 remaining. Manhattan got as close as 13 points when Gabrielle Cottrell sank a three-pointer at 3:18 to cut the lead to 62-49, but the Purple Eagles outscored the Lady Jaspers 8-2 to finish the game.

Niagara shot 49 percent from the field and outrebounded Manhattan, 38-33.

The Purple Eagles return to action Friday when they host Rider University at 7 p.m. in the legendary Taps Gallagher Center.