GAME 17
SCORE	Rider Broncs 104, Niagara Purple Eagles 84
RECORDS	Rider (9-7, 4-0 MAAC), Niagara (8-9, 1-3 MAAC)
LEADING SCORERS	Rider – Tyere Marshall (22), Niagara – Keleaf Tate (19)
LOCATION	Gallagher Center

 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. –  Keleaf Tate paced the Purple Eagles in scoring with 19 points as Niagara dropped the backend of its MAAC home opening weekend to the Rider Broncs, 104-84, on Sunday.  

Game Summary
The Broncs, who were voted as the league's favorite in the 2018-19 MAAC Preseason Poll, went on a decisive 15-2 run at the start of the second half to swing momentum in their favor.  

The first half had seven lead changes with neither team leading by more than five points through the first 14 minutes. Niagara jumped out to a 4-1 lead behind Dominic Robb's four points. After a few lead changes and ties, Marvin Prochet's 3-pointer at the 10:32 mark pushed Niagara ahead at 22-20.
The Broncs went back in front with a 12-2 run over the next four minutes. Niagara gradually chipped away at the lead by going 8-for-8 at the free-throw line to close the half on a 10-4 run to trail 36-34 at the break.

Keleaf Tate drained a 3-pointer to open the scoring in the second half as the Purple Eagles regained the lead at 37-36. From there, the Broncs took over the game beginning with a 15-2 run in a three-minute spurt. Baskets by Greg King and Chris Barton cut the deficit to 51-43 and King's dunk cut the lead to 54-45, before the Broncs' Jordan Allen connected on a deep 3-pointer on their next possession to restore Rider's double-digit lead for the rest of the game.  Niagara was unable to cool off the Broncs, who made seven 3-pointers and shot over 73 percent (28-for-38) from the field in the second half.  

Eagle's Eye On…

• Keleaf Tate led Niagara in scoring with 19 points, including tying a career-high in 3-pointers with five.
• James Towns was back in double figures with 15 points, chipped in five rebounds to share team-high marks, and led NU in assists with six.
• Marvin Prochet was in double figures scoring for the 13^th time in 14 games this season with 10 points. He also tied a season-high in steals with two.
• Greg Kuakumensah shared team-high honors in rebounds with five.

 
Inside The Numbers

• The 11 Purple Eagles who played today all scored.
• Niagara's 56.8 field goal percent in the second half is the second highest this season.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles are back on the road for a pair of games, beginning on Thursday, January 17 against Siena at 7 p.m.
• The game will air on the Niagara Sports Network via WGR 550 AM and www.PurpleEagles.com/Watch. 

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