JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Niagara men's basketball team (13-3, 4-0) remained undefeated in the conference with a 62-55 victory over Saint Peter's (4-11, 1-4) on Friday. The Purple Eagle defense forced 20 turnovers and got a pair of blocks in the final minutes to preserve the win.

"We didn't have our fast ball (Friday night), and that's a credit to Saint Peter's," Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich said. "But I'm proud of our guys for finding a way to win."

Niagara led 60-55 for over three-and-a-half minutes down the stretch, as the Purple Eagle defense came up big. Senior center Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) blocked Jordan Costner's lay-up with 52 seconds remaining, one of his career-high seven blocks, to keep it a two possession game. Junior Bilal Benn (Philadelphia, Pa.) added a pair of free throws to finish the scoring.

Junior Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) led Niagara with 18 points, including four three-pointers. Benn finished one rebound shy of a double-double for the second-straight contest, and the fourth time overall, with 11 points and nine caroms. Both juniors finished with three steals.

Niagara led 36-23 at the break despite shooting just 25 percent (8-for-32). The Purple Eagles went to the free throw line 23 times in the first half.

The second half was a different story, as the Peacocks went to the line 17 times, compared to Niagara's five attempts. The Peacocks fought back into the game in the final 10 minutes with defensive pressure and clutch shooting by Nick Leon. The sophomore guard scored a game-high 25 points.

Sophomore Anthony Nelson (Plainfield, N.J.) scored all seven of his points from the charity stripe to go along with his four rebounds and three assists. Egemonye and Demetrius Williamson (Chicago, Ill.) each added eight points, while Rob Garrison (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) chipped in with six.

Freshman guard Austin Cooley (Silver Spring, Md.) provided key minutes off the Purple Eagle bench, grabbing a career-high five rebounds, four on the offensive glass.

The Purple Eagles return to the hardwood at Marist on Sunday at 4 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on Time Warner Sports (channel 13) in Buffalo, Niagara Falls, Olean and Bradford, Pa. and on Time Warner SportsNet (channel 3) in Albany.