NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara University men’s basketball team (13-11, 8-5) had five players score in double figures as the Purple Eagles rolled past Canisius College (11-12, 6-7), 79-61, Sunday afternoon in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action in front of a sold-out (2,400) Gallagher Center crowd.

After not scoring for the game’s first 13 minutes, Niagara senior guard Lorenzo Miles (Washington, D.C.) had a game-high 21 points while senior forward Clif Brown (Ferndale, Mich.) recorded his 11th double-double of the season with 16 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Senior J.R. Duffey (Fort Worth, Texas) scored 15 points while freshman guard Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) had 13 points and junior Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) added 10 points.

Niagara held a 46-43 lead before erupting for a 16-2 run when Fisher scored inside for a 62-45 lead with 9:14 to play. The Purple Eagles pushed their lead to 23, when Miles hit a jump shot from the foul line for a 71-48 advantage at 7:17.

Canisius’ Darnell Wilson scored 10 first-half points as the Golden Griffins built a 28-22 lead. Wilson finished with a team-high 16 points while Frank Turner added 14 points and five assists.

Miles hit his first basket, a three-point field goal, to spark Niagara’s 17-9 run to close the first half with a 39-37 lead. Miles had all 13 of his first-half points during that run.

The Purple Eagles forced 19 turnovers and had a 42-29 edge in rebounds, paced by 19 offensive caroms.

Niagara returns to action Feb. 9 when it travels to Jersey City, N.J., to face Saint Peter’s at 7 p.m. in the Yanitelli Center.