Box Score

HAMDEN, Conn. – The Niagara men’s basketball team was edged by the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 85-81, on Thursday at the TD Bank Sports Center.

Niagara (4-8) nearly erased a 13-point second half deficit and was down by two with 36 seconds left. The Purple Eagles trailed 60-47 with 14:20 left in the game when they began to chip away at the lead behind balance scoring. Six different players scored during a 15-4 run, capped by an Ameen Tanksley layup as NU trailed 64-62 with 8:57 left.

Quinnipiac (6-5) was up 80-74 with 1:26 remaining when Malcolm Lemmons drained a 3-pointer, followed by a free throw by Marvin Jordan which cut the lead to 80-78 with 36 second left. However, a foul on a missed free throw allowed the Bobcats to make 1-of-2 at the line. On Niagara’s next possession, a game-tying 3-pointer by Juan'ya Green rimmed out and Quinnipiac ended the game by making four straight free throws.

“I’m proud of the guys for battling back,” head coach Joe Mihalich said. “We are getting close and once we get over that hump we will be a really good team. The difference of the game was rebounding. They outrebounded us by 18 and that made a huge difference in a close game. We have to find a way to get better rebounding.

Quinnipiac, which leads the nation with 44.4 rebounds per game, out rebounded NU 48-30 in the game.

The Bobcats rode the back of Ike Azotam, who had 19 of his game-high 32 points in the first half.  After trailing by 13 early in the first half, the Purple Eagles cut the lead to 33-27 after consecutive baskets by Josh Turner, who was playing in his first game of the season, and Lemmons, who made his first appearance since the season opener. A pair of free throws by Antoine Mason with 1:14 left brought NU to 40-35, but the Bobcats ended the half on a 6-2 run.

Four Purple Eagles netted double figures, led by Mason’s 22 points. Lemmons was second in scoring with 13 points and brought down four boards. Jordan and Green both scored 10 points, while Green added a career-best eight assists.

Niagara returns to the Gallagher Center to host UMBC on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. For ticket information, contact the Niagara Athletic Ticket Office at 716-286-8499 or at tickets@purpleeagles.com.