Box Score
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara women’s basketball team rallied from a halftime deficit and had several chances to win in the final seconds, but eventualy fell to the conference-leading Marist Red Foxes, 79-77, in double overtime in the Gallagher Center on Sunday.
 
“I would say that this weekend we have played our best basketball and I think that is good timing for us,” head coach Kendra Faustin said.  “We fought the entire game and I was really proud of our effort and proud of this group right now.”

Coming out of the break up 32-29, Marist (20-7, 15-1 MAAC)  was able to build its lead over Niagara (10-18, 7-9 MAAC) to 41-33 four minutes into the second half.  A three-pointer by Kayla Stroman got Niagara’s offense in gear and set off a 10-2 run to put the Purple Eagles up 47-45.
  
The Red Foxes were able to keep it close by hitting a series of layups but  four consecutive 3-pointers by Stroman followed by a Meghan McGuinness 3-pointer put Niagara back in the lead, 62-59, with five minutes remaining.
 
“They were so focused on taking [Stroman’s] dribble drive away that she got some open looks and she knocked them down,” Faustin said.  “She is certainly capable of taking over games.”
 
The Purple Eagles relied on the three-point shot throughout the game as they finished hitting 10 of 18 (55.6 percent) from beyond the arc with McGuinness going 4-for-5 and Stroman shooting 5-for-9.
 
Regulation would come to an end as Niagara wasn’t able to convert on the final possession and the game went into overtime tied 64-64.
 
The first overtime session began with Lauren Gatto  making four consecutive free throws, but Marist took a 69-68 lead with Kelsey Beynnon making 3 of 4 chances at the foul line.  Niagara regained the lead at 72-69 with 2:47 remaining on a layup from McGuinness and a Stroman jumper.
 
Leanne Ockenden, a former high-school teammate of Stroman’s, hit a three to tie the game at 72-72 with just under a 1:30 left on the clock.  Niagara again had the last possession of the period but was unable to convert.
 
In the second overtime period, the Red Foxes built a three-point lead with 2:35 remaining with a basket from Brandy Gang but the Purple Eagles responded as Stroman converted a 3-point play to tie the game; Niagara was a perfect 13-for-13 at the free-throw line on the afternoon.
 
A pair of free throws from Casey Dulin gave Marist its final two-point lead as Niagara could not get its final shot to fall and Marist came away with a 79-77 victory.
 
The Purple Eagles were led in scoring by Stroman’s 24 points, which is a new career-high for the sophomore.  Ali Morris led the way in rebounds, pulling in eight boards on the game, leading an effort that saw Niagara outrebound Marist 42-33.
 
“We talked about for us to be successful we had to have the ball which meant we had to finish each defensive possession with a rebound and I thought we did that and we did a nice job crashing,” Faustin said.  “We got some big offensive boards, we had one at the end of the game and we had a good look at the end of the first and second overtime, but it didn’t bounce our way.”
 
Niagara had four players score double-digits, which made Sunday the third time in the last four games it has had at least four players score 10 points, and shot 41.5 percent from the field. 
 
The Purple Eagles are back on the court next Friday when they host the Siena Saints at 7 p.m. for the final Free Friday of the season.