ALBANY, N.Y. - The No. 5 Niagara Purple Eagles used a second half explosion to defeat the fourth-seeded Manhattan Jaspers, 66-54, in the 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday afternoon. Niagara advances to the semifinal round for the first time since 2005.

"I am certainly proud of our young ladies tonight," head coach Kendra Faustin said.  "Coming into a pressure situation, like the MAAC Tournament, we were able to compete against a team that beat us twice during the season. I felt like we attacked that challenge against a great Manhattan team tonight."

Niagara (13-17) was buoyed by the 3-point ball in today's game, shooting 50 percent (10-for-20) from the arc, which helped break open the game in the second half after a close first half. Four of the first six baskets for the Purple Eagles were 3-pointers to start the game as Niagara and Manhattan (15-15) swap leads throughout the first half. Senior Rachele Folino drained a 3-pointer at 5:55 left to give NU a 16-14 lead and took a 24-20 halftime advantage.

The Purple Eagles connected on back-to-back 3-pointers by Liz Flooks and Kayla Stroman as the Purple Eagles began to heat up from the field. Flooks busted out of a recent shooting slump by finishing the game with game-high 17 points,along with Stroman, behind 50 percent shooting (5-for-10) from behind the arc. Flooks punctuated her night by draining a 28-foot jumper from the top of the arc with the shot clock expiring to give Niagara a 50-34 lead with seven minutes remaining. Niagara's lead would balloon as much as 19 points in the final minutes.

"I thought we were doing a great job on defense and on offense (in the first half), but we weren't making shots," Faustin said.  "I told the team to keep shooting. Liz Flooks was ready and when she made that long shot I thought it was our night."

Niagara was explosive offensively and defensively during the second half. The Purple Eagles scored 42 points while their energy forced 11 Jaspers turnovers in the second half and 20 in the game. The Purple and White held All-MAAC First Team selection Michelle Pacheco and All-MAAC Second Team member Lindsey Loutsenhizer to a combined 17 points. 

Niagara also had balanced contribution tonight. Flooks finished with 17 points. Stroman, the 2010 MAAC Rookie of the Year, had 17 points, six assists and four rebounds. Folino added 13 points and eight rebounds, while fellow senior Jaclyn Konieckza had her first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds and had six assists. 

Up next for the Purple Eagles is a semifinals contest against top-seeded and four-time consecutive tournament champion Marist on Saturday. The game will be broadcast live on MSG at 11:30 a.m.