NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The men's basketball team (17-8, 11-5 MAAC) jumped into a first-place tie with a thrilling 71-69 victory over Saint Peter's (6-20, 3-13 MAAC) in front of a sold-out Gallagher Center crowd on Monday. Charron Fisher's (Pennsauken, N.J.) thunderous dunk gave the Purple Eagles, who now control their own destiny, a 66-65 lead with 2:22 left, and Niagara held on for the win.

The Purple Eagles started the game with a 10-0 run, connecting on field goals in each of their first five trips down the floor. But it was an 11-4 run over the final 6:00 that propelled NU from down 65-60, to a two point victory.

With Niagara leading 71-69 with five second left, the Peacocks' Raul Orta missed a wide-open three-pointer that would have given SPC the win. Fisher gathered the miss and was fouled with two second remaining. After missing his first attempt at the free throw line, the senior purposely missed the second and grabbed the loose ball as time expired, sealing the win.

"It was not the prettiest game," Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich said. "We got tougher and we defended better in the second half. I thought we took a step in the right direction in the second half."

Senior Stanley Hodge (Washington, D.C.) scored 18 of his 20 points in the first half as Niagara took a 40-39 lead into the lockerroom. Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) made his only field goal count, darting through the lane for a contested lay-up with 1:12 remaining to give the Purple Eagles a 68-65 lead.

Junior Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) played well on both ends of the court. The 6-foot-10 center totaled 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting while collecting six rebounds and three blocked shots.

"We don't win this game without Stanley's first half effort and Benson's complete play," Mihalich added.

The Purple Eagles now sit in a four-way tie for first place in the MAAC with an 11-5 record after Monday night's losses to Rider and Siena. Niagara controls its own destiny for a regular-season title if it wins its final two conference games (at Siena - Feb. 29 & vs. Canisius - March 2). The Purple Eagles currently own the tiebreakers over Loyola, Rider and Siena.

Niagara takes a break from MAAC play when it travels to Boone, N.C., to face Southern Conference North Division leader Appalachian State in ESPNU's BraketBuster action. Tip-off for Saturday's game is slated for 1 p.m.