NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara women's basketball team lost to the Manhattan Jaspers, 70-54, in its MAAC home opener on Saturday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.

"(We) struggled to handle the pace of the game," head coach Kendra Faustin said. "We took quick shots and needed to rebound and (we) didn't. We had some good looks, but couldn't convert."

Niagara (3-11, 0-3 MAAC) forced 27 turnovers, which are one short of tying a season-high, and scored 21 points from those turnovers. However, the Purple Eagles had 23 turnovers themselves and some ended potential runs.

NU had a 10-4 lead early before Manhattan (7-7, 2-1 MAAC) went an 18-2 run behind four-straight 3-pointers by Alyssa Herrington. The Purple and White scratched back into the game down by 17 with 2:45 left in the first half. NU ended the half on a 8-0 run to cut the deficit to 36-27.

Niagara managed to chip away at the lead to eight points on a couple of occasions in the second half, but could not get it any closer.

Liz Flooks (White Plains, N.Y.) led NU with 15 points; Flooks, entered the game seventh in the NCAA in 3-point percentage, was only 1-for-6 from behind the arc. Kayla Stroman (Syracuse, N.Y.) had seven assists for the second-straight game to outduel her counterpart, Michelle Pacheco, who had three assists.

Niagara will play the Iona Gaels in its next game on Monday, Jan. 11 at 7 p.m. from the Gallagher Center.