Niagara University Athletics

Game 14
SCORE	Niagara 63 – Iona 57
RECORDS	Niagara (4-10, 2-3 MAAC) – Iona (3-10, 2-2 MAAC)
LOCATION	Hynes Athletics Center

 
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Jordan Edwards scored a career-high 15 points as the Purple Eagles defeated the Iona Gaels, 63-57, in the final seconds of Thursday night's game in New Rochelle.

Game Recap
First Quarter

• The Purple Eagles went on a 4-0 run to open the game and threes from Angel Parker and Maggie McIntyre gave Niagara a 10-6 lead over Iona with a little more than four and a half minutes to go in the first quarter.
• Emerald Ekpiteta and Jai Moore each added four points in the quarter and Niagara had a one-point lead over the Gaels, 14-13, going into the second quarter.

Second Quarter

• An Iona free throw tied the score at 14 points apiece with about 9:40 left in the first half, but a trey from Morgan Baughman put the Purple Eagles back on top, 17-14.
• Jordan Edwards scored six straight points for NU to give the Purple Eagles a four-point lead over Iona, 23-19, but with just a little over two and a half minutes to go, the Gaels tied things up once again, 23-23.
• With about 1:18 left in the second quarter, the Gaels took their first lead of the game, 25-24.
• A bucket from Sydney Faulcon with less than a minutes to go put the Purple Eagles back in the lead, 26-25, but Iona scored again and led NU by one point, 27-26, at the half.

Third Quarter

• Edwards sank a three to open the third quarter and reclaim the lead for Niagara, 29-27.
• The Purple Eagles allowed Iona one bucket before going on an 11-0 run to take their largest lead of the game, 40-29.
• The Gaels went on a 6-0 run and trailed Niagara by five, 40-35, but four points from Edwards kept NU ahead by six, 44-38.
• With a little over one and a half minutes left in the quarter, the Gaels took the lead, 45-44.
• A trey from McIntyre put Niagara ahead, 47-44, but the Gaels scored three points to tie the score, 47-47, going into the fourth quarter.

Fourth Quarter

• The Gaels hit a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter to take the lead, 50-47.
• With about two minutes remaining, a bucket from Adia Brisker left the Purple Eagles trailing by just one point, 55-54, and with one minute left in the game, Moore converted a 3-point play to give Niagara the lead, 57-55.
• Iona scored with a little over 40 second left to tie the score again, 57-57.
• With 6.8 seconds left on the clock, an intentional foul was called on the Gaels after a review by the officials. Moore took the free throws, sinking both to put Niagara back in the lead, 59-57.
• The Purple Eagles held the Gaels off in the final seconds and earned the 63-57 victory to improve to 2-3 in conference play.

Eagle's Eye On…

• Edwards led Niagara in scoring with a career-high 15 points. She made a career-best six field goals. Edwards also led NU in assists with three.
• Ekpiteta brought down a team-high six rebounds. She also added nine points.
• Moore had 12 points for the Purple Eagles and McIntyre score nine points off of three 3-pointers.
• Brisker led the team in steals with three, tying her career-high.
• Baughman and Brisker both had five rebounds.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles face the Monmouth Hawks on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2:00 p.m. The game will air on ESPN3.

Stay connected with Niagara Women's Basketball on Twitter and Instagram. Follow Niagara Athletics all year long on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and purpleeagles.com.