NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Despite a sizeable run in the second half, the Niagara Purple Eagles dropped their Sunday matinee against the Marist Red Foxes 71-51 at the Gallagher Center.

The Purple Eagles (8-9, 3-3 MAAC) found themselves trailing the Red Foxes (11-6, 6-0 MAAC) by 18 points, 43-25, with 14 minutes to play in the game.  Meghan McGuinness scored five points on two-consecutive baskets to get her squad rolling and a layup by Kayla Stroman off of a steal bookended the 18-2 run that brought NU back with a basket, 45-43. 

“I do think we can compete at a high level with any team in our conference,” said head coach Kendra Faustin.  “I’m really disappointed we didn’t do that today.”

Lauren Gatto scored three of her team-high 12 points during the run; the redshirt-junior finished the game 5-for-9 from the floor and 2-for-3 from the free-throw line.  Jess Flamm contributed eight points to the run. 

Niagara was able to stay close until it was forced to foul down the stretch and Marist pulled away with a 71-51 win.

“I think we ran out of gas because we spent so much time coming back instead of starting the way that we should have,” Faustin said.  “I’m really disappointed in our group for not stepping up and performing the way we know we can.  We saw glimpses of it but that’s the story of this team right now.”

Freshman Sylvia Maxwell set career-highs with 11 points (she shot 5-for-12 from the field) and seven rebounds.  Stroman tied a career-high with eight assists on the afternoon.

“Sylvia did a great job,” said Faustin.  “That’s why she’s starting; she’s aggressive, she’s not intimidated by anybody, and she’s a winner.”

As a team, Niagara won the rebounding battle 33-31, with the edge coming in the defensive end of the court where it brought in 21-of-30 rebounds.

Throughout most of the first half it was the Purple Eagles who had the advantage.  They held the Red Foxes to only 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) chances from the floor including a 1-for-8 (12.5 percent) clip from three-point range though the first nine minutes of the game.

NU was able to hold onto the lead for 12 minutes before Marist was able to go on a run to build an 11-point lead, 27-16.  Niagara swung the momentum in the final two minutes of the half by putting together a 5-0 run to go into halftime down 27-21.

The Purple Eagles will play their next four games away from the Gallagher Center, starting with a game against Iona on Thursday at 7 p.m.