BOONE, N.C. - Niagara senior Stanley Hodge (Washington, D.C.) gathered a loose ball with one second left and buried a 25-footer at the buzzer to give the Purple Eagles (18-8, 11-5 MAAC) a thrilling 76-75 victory over Appalachian State (17-11, 12-6 SoCon) inside the Holmes Center in Boone, N.C. The win is the second-straight for the Purple Eagles in ESPNU BracketBuster action.

"What a terrific basketball game," Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich said. "Two really good teams, heavyweight champs fighting it out. It's only fitting that a senior wins the game. It seemed like whoever had the ball last was going to win."

In a game that saw eight lead changes in the final 2:17, Hodge's dagger gave the Purple Eagles their fourth win in a row. With 16 seconds remaining, Charron Fisher (Pennsauken, N.J.) missed a jumper in the paint and App State's Jeremy Clayton gathered the rebound and was immediately fouled.

Clayton made the first free throw to give the Mountaineers a 75-73 lead, but Fisher grabbed the miss on the second try and drove the length of the court. Clayton ran the court as well and blocked Fisher's lay-up out of bounds to set the stage for the game's final play.

With 4.2 seconds left, Mihalich drew up a play for the nation's leading scorer. ASU's Eduardo Bermudez slapped the ball away from Fisher and the loose ball landed at Hodge's feet. The poised senior set his feet and drained the three-pointer as the buzzer sounded.

"We tried to get it to Charron, but the ball just happened to tip out to me," Hodge said of the game's final four seconds. "When it left my hands, I knew it was good."

"Both team's showed poise and were good down the stretch," Mihalich added. "I am so proud of our team."

The contest had 21 lead changes and nine ties, but Niagara held the lead throughout the majority of the contest. The Mountaineers went to their big man, Donte Minter down the stretch as the two teams traded the lead. Minter scored three of the final five ASU baskets and finished with 17 points.

Four Purple Eagles finished with double-digit scoring totals. Fisher led all scorers with 21 points and pulled in 11 rebounds for his eighth double-double of the year. Hodge added 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting, including 3-of- 5 from long range.

Junior center Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) recorded a double-double with 16 points and 11 boards, including two lay-ups with under 2:00 to go. Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) tallied 10 points, including a clutch three-pointer late in the game, and set a career high with six steals. Anthony Nelson (Plainfield, N.J.) totaled nine points and six assists.

The Purple Eagles resume MAAC play on Friday at Siena with a 7 p.m. tip. Niagara and Siena are in a four-way tie atop the conference with 11-5 records.