NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles came back late to win an overtime thriller 70-62 over the Siena Saints on Sunday afternoon in the Gallagher Center.

“Obviously we were upset we started the way we did so we’re going to have to do a better job than that,” head coach Kendra Faustin said.  “I’m really proud of how we responded down the stretch and executed.  We had players step up and do things that they haven’t done all year and it really worked for us.”

Boasting a new starting-five, the Purple Eagles (6-7, 1-1 MAAC) found themselves in a hole early as the Saints (4-9, 0-2 MAAC) scored the first 13 points of the contest, but would go on an 11-0 run of their own to get back within two, 13-11.  Shy Britton hit the first and last baskets of the run for four of her career and team-high 20 points on the afternoon.   

“This is what Shy is capable of doing night in and night out,” said Faustin. “These are the things were asking her to do and she’s just a warrior. She twisted her foot pretty good, taped it up, and came back.”

Siena hung onto the lead, but Niagara kept within striking distance before taking its first lead of the contest, 26-25, on a Val McQuade three-pointer with less than five minutes left in the half.

The Purple Eagles shot 5-for-12 (41.7 percent) from beyond the arc, behind Meghan McGuinness’ 4-for-6 performance.  The sophomore guard added four free throws on her way to 18 points.

Coming out of halftime with a 29-27 lead, Niagara again found themselves trailing after Siena put together a run to take a 43-33 lead.  NU didn’t fade away and slowly chipped away at the deficit and got back within a point, 47-46, as McQuade again making an important basket, this time a layup and the and-one with eight minutes left.  She would finish with 10 points and added five rebounds.

After seeing the deficit grow briefly, Niagara was able to get the game back with one with less than a minute to go.  R-junior Kayla Stroman had been held scoreless before she was sent to the free-throw line with nine seconds left in regulation.  The Syracuse, N.Y. native hit the second of her two shots to tie the game and send the two teams to an extra period. 

Britton scored Niagara’s first six points in overtime to give her team a four point lead.  Stroman hit another layup and McGuinness put the game out of reach with a pair of free throws.  Siena was held scoreless though the final three minutes of overtime.

Four Purple Eagles scored in the double-digits as Lauren Gatto scored 10 to join Britton, McGuinness, and McQuade in the double-digit club.  Britton and Sylvia Maxwell, who earned her first collegiate start, tied with a team-high seven rebounds.  The Purple Eagles forced 24 turnovers and had their bench outscore Siena’s 38-1.

“Sylvia as a freshman did an unbelievable job,” Faustin said.  ”She is just a bulldog and she’s not afraid of anything. I think that shows in the stat line with leading rebounds I’m so proud of her.  She brought intangibles, she got loose balls, and she got steals.  She did a great job.”

Niagara is back on the court next Thursday when it travels to Saint Peter’s for a 7 p.m. contest.