NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The second half was a different half for the Niagara men's basketball team (3-1) as the Purple Eagles used a 16-4 run to open the stanza and shot 66.7 percent in the half en route to an 80-75 victory over Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure (3-4), inside the legendary 'Taps' Gallagher Center on Wednesday. Junior Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) established a pair of career-highs in the victory.

It looked like it would be a poor shooting night for NU as head coach Joe Mihalich's bunch started the first half shooting 1-of-15 from behind the arc. Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) and Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) sank a pair of three's to end the half that seemed to turn things around for Niagara despite trailing 32-28.

After a Bonnie dunk, senior Stanley Hodge (Washington, D.C.) continued his hot play, scoring five-straight points to cut the lead to 34-33. Fisher went to the line for two, Egemonye sank a freebie, another Hodge layup and a Lewis jumper gave Niagara it's biggest lead thus far and forced the Bonnies into a timeout.

"The last thing I told our guys at the break was to attack," Mihalich said. "We scored 12 points in the first part of the half, and completely changed the game."

The Purple Eagles wouldn't trail again, opening the lead to as many as 11 midway through the frame.

Egemonye finished the night with 19 points and eight rebounds (5 offensive), all career-high totals. Fisher played strong down the stretch and finished with a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds, while Hodge chipped in with 14 and Lewis added 12 markers.

While he was held off the scoreboard for the first time in his young career, freshman point guard Anthony Nelson (Plainfield, N.J.) also established a career high with 12 assists. Sophomore wing Demetrius Williamson (Chicago, Ill.) sank a pair of long three-point baskets at crucial times for the Purple Eagles, finishing with six points in 17 minutes of play.

In the loss, SBU's Michael Lee became the 21st player in school history to joing the 1,000 point/500 rebound club. He ended the game with 21 points and a game-best 13 boards.

The Purple Eagles are back on the hardwood on Saturday when they travel to Liberty for a 7 p.m. tip.