Box Score

BUFFALO – The Niagara women’s basketball team (6-13, 3-4 MAAC) built an early lead and withstood a late rally by Canisius (8-10, 2-5 MAAC) to defeat its cross-town rival 66-60 and earn two points in the Battle of the Bridge at the Koessler Athletic Center on Thursday evening.

Canisius would come within two with seven seconds remaining in regulation, as Jen Morabito hit three free-throws to make it a 62-60 game. Forced to foul, Canisius sent both Ali Morris and Kelly Van Leeuwen to the free throw line, where they both hit their shots to ice the win for the Purple Eagles.

The victory gives Niagara two points in the 2011-12 Battle of the Bridge series against Canisius, with the Purple Eagles holding an 8.5 - 4.5 lead following the contest.

“I thought that our team showed great resolve tonight against a really talented Canisius team in a really close game,” head coach Kendra Faustin said.
 
Niagara and Canisius traded leads early with both lead changes and all four ties coming within the first eight minutes of play.
 
With the score tied at 10 halfway through the first half, freshman Meghan McGuinness hit a three-pointer to give Niagara the lead for good.  The freshman would send the Purple Eagles on a 11-2 run that shot Niagara ahead 21-12.

The teams traded baskets down the stretch, but the closest Canisius would come was five points as Niagara closed out the half with three points by Gatto for a 36-28 lead.
 
“We’ve been spending a lot of time working [on the offense],” Faustin said.  “We needed to get more post touches and I thought Lauren Gatto did a phenomenal job working to get post touches and scores.  When we’re scoring inside, it makes it tough to deny reversals, it makes it tough to hard hedge ball-screens, and it really opens a lot up for us.”
  
Coming out of the break, Niagara would have to stay sharp and fend off a Canisius team that would not fade away.  The Golden Griffins put together an 8-2 run to begin the half and cut Niagara’s lead to two-points, only to have Gatto hit three consecutive baskets to extend the lead back to 44-36.
   
Niagara was led by Kayla Stroman’s 17 points and Gatto’s six rebounds.  
 
Niagara is back in action on Sunday when they travel to Connecticut to take on Fairfield at 1 p.m.


Here are video highlights from the game.