RIVERDALE, N.Y. - The men's basketball team rode an offensive explosion to a 96-86 win over Manhattan College on Saturday at Draddy Gym. The victory matches the best start in conference play under 10-year head coach Joe Mihalich.

Playing without senior guard Stanley Hodge (Washington, D.C.), Niagara received a scoring burst from the center position in 26 points and 14 rebounds from Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) and Kamau Gordon (Hartford, Conn.). Egemonye poured in a career-high 22 points to go along with his game-high 11 reboundN.J.)s.

"This was a great win for us," Mihalich explained. "We were without a key senior, our glue guy, Stanley Hodge. We needed some guys to step up today, and they did just that."

Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) achieved a pair of career highs with 27 points and five assists in the win, turning in his best outing since scoring 26 in the season opener. He shot 8-of-17 and had a game-high three steals for NU.

The nation's second leading scorer, Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) also scored 27 points, despite aggressive double teams throughout the contest. Fisher dished out a season-high three assists, primarily to Egemonye in the paint.

"I knew that I had a size advantage today," Egemonye said. "I had to use that to my advantage."

Anthony Nelson (Plainfield, N.J.) added five points, five assists and four rebounds, while Gordon tied a career-high with four points, including a powerful putback in Niagara's first-half outburst.

The 4-0 start sets up a special showdown inside the Gallagher Center on Friday. Niagara welcomes the only other undefeated team in conference play, Siena (2-0), to the 'Taps' for a 9 p.m. start. The contest will be aired live on ESPNU.