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Niagara University Athletics

Marcus Hammond vs Cazenovia
Michael P. Majewski
60
Niagara Niag 0-1,0-0 MAAC
63
Winner Xavier XU 1-0,0-0 Big East
Niagara Niag
0-1,0-0 MAAC
60
Final
63
Xavier XU
1-0,0-0 Big East
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Niagara Niag 23 37 60
Xavier XU 29 34 63

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Purple Eagles Edged By Xavier, 63-60

CINCINNATI, Ohio – The Purple Eagles (0-1) were narrowly defeated by the Xavier Musketeers (1-0), 63-60, in their season-opener on Tuesday.

Game Recap
First Half
  • The Musketeers went on a 7-2 run to open the first half, but a jumper from Marcus Hammond with 16:16 to go put the Purple Eagles within three points of the lead, 7-4.
  • Xavier had a 13-5 lead with a little under 13 minutes to go, but Hammond sank a triple to leave the Purple Eagles trailing by just five points, 13-8.
  • A trey from Justin Roberts with 10:53 to go in the first half put Niagara down by only two points, 13-11.
  • Xavier went on an 8-0 run to extend its lead, 21-11.
  • Hammond hit another triple with a little under six minutes remaining to bring Niagara within seven points of the Musketeers, 21-14.
  • A jump shot from Jordan Cintron cut the Musketeers' lead to five, 21-16.
  • Hammond made his third 3-pointer of the half with a little over four minutes on the clock to keep Niagara within four points of Xavier, 23-19.
  • Hammond and Greg Kuakumensah each added two points in the remainder of the half and NU trailed by just six, 29-23, going into halftime.
Second Half
  • Two points each from Rob Brown III and Kuakumensah in the first six minutes of the second half put NU down by 10, 37-27.
  • The Musketeers took a 13-point lead, 46-33, but a jumper from Sam Iorio brought NU within 11 points of the lead, 46-35.
  • With a little under nine minutes left in the game, Hammond converted a 3-point play to cut the Xavier lead to single digits, 47-38.
  • The Musketeers got ahead by 12, but Niagara went on a 7-0 run, including four points from Cintron and a triple from Noah Thomasson, to leave the Purple Eagles trailing by just five points, 52-47.
  • With 3:05 to go in the half, another trey from Hammond brought Niagara within four points of Xavier, 54-50.
  • Hammond added two more points with 48 seconds remaining to keep NU within five, 59-54.
  • Three free throws from Roberts left the Purple Eagles down by just four points with 15 seconds left in the game.
  • Thomasson sank a 3-pointer with just one second remaining, but NU was not able to overcome Xavier, falling to the Musketeers by just three points, 63-60.

Eagle's Eye On
  • Hammond led all scorers with 25 points.
  • Hammond, Cintron and Kuakumensah led the Purple Eagles in rebounding with six rebounds each.
  • Kuakumensah recorded a team-high three steals.
  • Thomasson added 11 points in his debut for the Purple Eagles.

Up Next
  • The Purple Eagles take on nationally ranked Ohio State on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:00 p.m.

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