BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Niagara men's basketball team (21-6, 12-3) extended its season-long win streak to seven with a grind-it-out victory over Fairfield (15-12, 8-8) 83-76 on Saturday, in a game that was broadcast on ESPN2. Niagara head coach Joe Mihalich earned his 200th win in the contest.

With the victory, Niagara added to its already nation-high wins away from home. The Purple Eagles have won 10 road games and three neutral games this season, three more than any other team in the NCAA. The seven-game run NU has put together is the longest run since winning 12-straight at the end of the 2006-07 MAAC Championship season.

"It wasn't the prettiest of games," Mihalich said. "But we are so proud of this team for getting another road win. They are so hard to come by, and to lead the nation is very special."

Senior Benson Egemonye (Benin City, Nigeria) was the work horse in the win. The 6-foot-10 center scored 23 points, 15 of them in the second half, on 11-for-14 shooting. Egemonye and the Purple Eagles owned the paint, scoring 44 points down low. The center had four dunks, six lay-ins and added a sharp jumper from the corner on the night.

Junior Rob Garrison (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) chipped in with 20 points, 10 in each half. He opened the contest shooting 3-for-3 from behind the arc as Niagara built a 32-18 lead. The Purple Eagle defense held the Stags without a field goal for almost eight minutes in the first half, but Fairfield ended the half with an offensive spurt to cut the NU lead to 39-35 at the half.

That's when Egemonye took over. The center scored Niagara's first nine points of the half as the Purple Eagles jumped out to a 50-39 lead. The Niagara advantage hovered around double figures until the five-minute mark, when Fairfield climbed back in it from the line. The Stags cut it to five on two different occassions, but Niagara outlasted them on the free throw line.

Junior Tyrone Lewis (Levittown, Pa.) also reached double digits with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting. He added five assists, four rebounds and three steals. The 5-foot-11 guard leads the MAAC with 75 steals, a total that ranks second on Niagara's single-season chart, just two steals away from the school record.

Junior Bilal Benn (Philadelphia, Pa.) added nine points and seven rebounds, missing almost the entire first half with foul trouble. Sophomore Anthony Nelson (Plainfield, N.J.) scored four points while handing out a game-high six assists to just one turnover.

The Purple Eagles play their final road game of the regular season on Wednesday at Rider. With a victory in the contest, which will be broadcast live on the Niagara Sports Network, Niagara will secure at least the No. 2 seed in the MAAC Championships. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.