BUFFALO, N.Y. - Emile Blackman led all scorers with a season-high 27 points as the Niagara Purple Eagles were edged by the Canisius Golden Griffins, 65-60, on Thursday.

The latest edition of the Battle of the Bridge rivalry came down to the final minute as the Purple Eagles (7-23, 5-14 MAAC) trimmed an 18-point second half deficit to three points with 1:29 remaining. Niagara battled back from early holes in each half before succumbing to the Golden Griffins (13-17, 8-11 MAAC) for the second time this season.

"I can't say enough about the effort of our guys," head coach Chris Casey said. "There were a couple of moments where it looked bleak, but they just keep playing and I am proud of them for that."

Blackman notched his seventh 20-point game of the season while scoring in double figures for the 13th straight game. He was joined in double figures by Justin Satchell, who had 11 points.

Blackman scored 17 first half points, which are the most by a Purple Eagle in the first half this season, to account for 17 of Niagara's 25 points. After scoring the opening points, NU found itself trailing 13-2 six minutes into the game. The Purple Eagles closed the gap to 28-25 on a thunderous dunk by Blackman with 19 seconds left, but Canisius' Malcolm McMillan made three free throws to send the Golden Griffins into halftime leading, 31-25.

The Golden Griffins carried that momentum into the second half as they opened the second stanza on a 14-2 run to lead 45-27 with 14:45 left. However, NU gradually chipped away at the lead. A 3-pointer by Chris Barton with 6:29 on the clock started a 14-4 run over the next five minutes to cut the lead to 59-56.

After a basket by Phil Valenti, Blackman connected on a pair of free throws with 46 seconds left to bring the deficit back to three points. On the en suing possession, Jamal Reynolds missed the front end of a one-and-one free throw, but he grabbed the rebound to extend Canisius' possession; McMillan, then, made two free throws for a 63-58 Canisius lead with 31 seconds remaining. Blackman scored his final two points of the night at the free-throw line on Niagara's next possession, but a pair of free throws by McMillan with nine seconds remaining sealed the game.

The Purple Eagles wrap up the regular season on Sunday at first place Monmouth at 5 p.m. The game will air on ESPN3 and on the Niagara Sports Network via WGR 550 AM and PurpleEagles.com/Watch.

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