Box Score

NIAGARA UNIV., NY – The Niagara women’s basketball team jumped out to an early lead, briefly surrendered it only once, and locked the game down in the second half to earn a 61-52 victory over the Saint Peter’s Peahens on Monday.
 
Kayla Stroman led the way for Niagara (5-11, 2-2 MAAC) through the first few minutes by scoring six of the team’s first 10 points.  Saint Peter’s (0-15, 0-4 MAAC) would fight back to take a one-point lead, 11-10, with just over seven minutes gone in the half.
 
“There’s certain things tonight that we need to work on so we’ll celebrate [the win] then come to practice to work and get better and take the next step in our maturation process as a team.” said head coach Kendra Faustin
 
The lead would be short-lived as nine seconds later Meghan McGuinness hit the first of her three-consecutive baskets and lead Niagara on a 8-2 run.  Chanel Johnson scored six of Niagara’s final ten points to end the half up by nine, 32-23.
 
The second half began with three quick points by Niagara to build the lead to 12, 35-23, but the Peahens put together a 13-2 run to cut the deficit to only two, 42-40, with just over eight minutes to play.  The Purple Eagles would respond with an 11-2 run of their own, thanks to another four points from Johnson and a three-pointer from Val McQuade.
 
Saint Peter’s cut Niagara’s lead to five with 18 seconds left in regulation, but the hosts hit their final four free-throws to end the game with a nine-point win, 61-52.
 
“Basketball is a game of runs and we’ve been talking about when teams go on runs, we answer back,” said Faustin.  “I think that it was a huge step in our maturity of our team that things got close and we weathered that storm and we went on our own little run.”
 
For the third time this season Stroman led the team with 19 points (one point shy of her single-game high) and Lauren Gatto once again led the team in rebounds with seven.
 
The Purple Eagles are back on the road for their next game as they visit the Siena Saints this Friday with tip-off at 7pm.