SCORE: Eastern Michigan Eagles 83, Niagara Purple Eagles 65
RECORDS: Eastern Michigan (22-12), Niagara (19-14)
LOCATION: Convocation Center – Eastern Michigan University
TOURNAMENT: 2018 CollegeInsider.com Tournament First Round
 
Game Summary
YPSILANTI, Mich. - In their first postseason appearance in five seasons, the Niagara Purple Eagles fell to the Eastern Michigan Eagles, 83-65, in the 2018 CollegeInsider.com Tournament First Round on Wednesday night.
 
The Purple Eagles took an early 4-2 lead after Greg King opened the scoring with a jumper in the paint and Marvin Prochet connected on a jumper. Eastern Michigan, then, sprinted ahead with a 10-0 run in under two minutes. Niagara cut the lead to four points with Chris Barton and Keleaf Tate providing the points. EMU followed with an 8-0 run for a 20-8 lead with 11 minutes left in the half. A 3-pointer by Matt Scott cut the deficit into single digits at 22-13 before EMU responded with a 9-0 run for a 31-13 advantage.  A 7-2 run by the Purple Eagles trimmed EMU's lead to 40-27 before the Eagles scored a last-second basket to head into halftime with a 42-27 lead.
 
In the second half, EMU led by as much as 24 points en route to tying the all-time series at 1-1 and advancing to the next round of the CIT.
 
Eagle's Eye On…

• Kahlil Dukes led Niagara in scoring with 16 points to be in double figures for the 26 consecutive game, and 32 out of 33 games this season. Dukes also led NU in assists with four and had three steals.
• Matt Scott, who has missed the last four games due to a high ankle sprain, finished with seven points and with seven rebounds in 17 minutes.
• Marvin Prochet recorded his MAAC-leading ninth double-double of the season with 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds. He also added three assists.
• Dominic Robb scored 10 points and grabbed four rebounds.
• Keleaf Tate's game-high four steals are the most by a Purple Eagle this season.
• Chris Barton added nine points.
• Greg King grabbed eight boards.

 
Inside The Numbers

• Niagara concludes the 2017-18 season with a 19-14 record, which is its best since going 19-14 during the 2012-13 season.  
• Niagara's 2,748 points are the most in program history.
• Matt Scott finishes his four-year career with 1,726 points, 737 rebounds, 273 assists, and 137 steals.
  • His 1,726 points are seventh most in program history.
  • His 137 steals are 11^th most in program history.
  • His 163 3-pointers are seventh most in program history.
• Kahlil Dukes finishes his two-year career at Niagara as the program's career leader in free throw percentage (91.4 %). He finishes with 1,202 points, 244 assists, and 160 3-pointers
  • His 95 3-pointers this season are second most in a single season and his 160 career 3-pointers are eighth most.
  • He ended the season making 16 consecutive free throws.
• The Purple Eagles finished with a season-high 10 steals.

 
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