Box Score

BALTIMORE – Antoine Mason’s go-ahead layup with one minute remaining helped push the Niagara men’s basketball team to a 66-61 win over the Loyola Greyhounds on Monday from Reitz Arena.

"We have been saying for a bunch of games now that we have been knocking on the door and we finally knocked that door down,” head coach Joe Mihalich said. “This was a great road win against a top-3 team in our league. It just showed that these young guys just needed all the experience necessary to play these games and they learned from all those tough losses."

The Purple Eagles (6-9, 1-2 MAAC) ended the game on a 9-0 run in a matchup that featured 10 lead changes, including six in the second half, in a nail-biter that saw the Purple Eagles win their fifth straight at Loyola (9-4, 2-1 MAAC).

Niagara seized momentum early in the first half and led 28-17 after going on a 15-2 run. Loyola cut the lead to 30-25, but Niagara closed the half on a 6-0 run capped by a Scooter Gillette dunk with six seconds left and led 36-25.

The Greyhounds charged back into the game in the second half and held a slender 52-48 lead with 7:55 left. Mason drained a deep 3-pointer with the shot clock expiring to regain Niagara’s lead, 56-55, with 4:53 remaining.  Loyola then went on a 6-1 run over the next 1:18 to lead 61-57; but those would be the Greyhounds final points of the night. 

Juan'ya Green connected a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 61-60 with 2:06 remaining and after back-to-back turnovers, Mason drove to the basket and made a layup while being fouled to give NU the lead for good at 62-61. Green went 4-for-4 at the free-throw line in the final seconds as Loyola missed a go-ahead layup with 30 seconds left and a game-tying 3-pointer with five seconds left.

Niagara had three players in double figures. Green had a team-high 18 points, Mason added 17 and Ameen Tanksley tied a career-high with 15 points.

Niagara continues its three-game conference road swing on Friday, Jan. 6 when the Purple Eagles face the Iona Gaels on ESPNU at 9 p.m.  Friday’s game can also be heard on WWKB 1520am.