POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y.  – The Niagara women’s basketball team was in arms distance of conference leading Marist, but fell 61-35 on Friday night at the McCann Center.

“We played great defense in the first half and I’m proud of our efforts to win the rebounding war,” head coach Kendra Faustin said. “(We) have to do a better job of taking care of the ball and I was disappointed in our effort in the second. This is a tough place to play.”

Niagara (1-21, 0-11 MAAC) held Marist (20-2, 11-0 MAAC) to 25 first half points, which were tied for its second lowest output this season, in front of a sellout crowd of 3,200 in the annual “Pack the House” game.

The Purple Eagles manage to keep close with the unbeaten Red Foxes in the first half. Three straight points by Jessica Flamm cut the lead to 20-12 with 6:14 remaining in the half. Marist found its offensive stride in the second half, shooting 50 percent from the field in the half. The difference in the game was the turnover margin; NU committed 22 to Marist’s nine.

Flamm led Niagara in scoring with 11 points and was the only Purple Eagles in double-digit.

Niagara will travel to play at Siena on Sunday at 2 p.m.