NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Despite having a 26-point lead in the first half of play, Niagara (7-11, 4-6 MAAC) fell to Quinnipiac (12-7, 6-3 MAAC) by the final score of 85-79 Saturday afternoon in MAAC women's basketball action from the Gallagher Center.

Four Purple Eagles recorded double figures, led by Aaliyah Parker, who finished with 16 points, followed by Olivia Mason (14), Angel Parker (13), and Ally Haar (13). Niagara also posted a season-high 48.5 field goal percentage in the loss.

Game Recap
First Quarter
• The Purple Eagles scored a season-high 26 first-quarter points, led by Angel and Aaliyah, who combined for 17 of NU's points.
• Niagara made half of its shots in the first, finishing the frame 11-for-22 from the field.
• With the game tied at four, the Purple and White went on a quick 7-0 run to take an 11-4 lead over Quinnipiac by the 7:02 mark.
• At the 5:19 mark, the Bobcats connected on a 3-pointer to pull within four, 15-11.
• Niagara would use an 11-2 spurt over the final 4:26 of the first to take a 26-13 lead into the second.

Second Quarter
• Niagara held Quinnipiac without a made field goal from the 1:04 mark of the first to the 2:23 mark of the second.
• During that span, Niagara outscored the Bobcats 19-4 while going 8-for-14 from the floor.
• Ally Haar and Sydney Faulcon paced the Niagara offense during the offensive outburst, scoring seven and six, respectively.
• Mason and Kyra Grimshaw combined for eight for NU.
• The spurt gave Niagara a 26-point lead, 43-17, over the Bobcats.
• Quinnipiac would trim the Niagara lead to 20, 47-27 by the first-half buzzer.
• Niagara finished the second shooting 56.3 percent from the floor.

Third Quarter
• Niagara only scored 18 points in the third quarter, compared to 28 for the Bobcats.
• The Purple and White were 8-for-15 from the field in third, while Quinnipiac went 12-for-17, including 3-for-6 from downtown.
• Maddy Yelle was the Purple Eagles' leading scorer in the third, scoring all seven of her points in the stanza.
• The Bobcats used a 10-0 run in the final 1:26 of the third to pull within ten, 65-55, as the frame came to a close.  

Fourth Quarter
• The Bobcats continued their hot shooting from the floor in the fourth, making 8-of-9 shots to start the frame and take a 74-72 lead over the Purple Eagles.
• During the first six minutes of the quarter, Niagara went 3-for-10 from the field, allowing Quinnipiac to complete the comeback.
• The final four minutes of action was more of the same for the Purple Eagles as they made just three field goals compared to nine for Quinnipiac.
• Angel would connect from 3-point range moments before the final buzzer, but it was too late as the Bobcats took Saturday's contest, 85-79.

Niagara Notes
• Niagara made a season-high 48.5 percent (33-68) of its field goal attempts, as well as finishing with a season-best 50.0 percent (6-12) mark from downtown.
• It was the first time NU had made half of its 3-point attempts in a game since Jan. 13, 2018, when it finished 6-for-10 from the perimeter.
• Angel finished with a team-high three from beyond the arc, followed by Haar with two and Yelle with one.
• Niagara forced 24 Bobcat turnovers, eight of which came via steals. Mason recorded a team-best three steals.
• 44 of Niagara's points came inside the paint.  
• Haar finished with a team-high six assists. It was the second time the senior registered six helpers in a game this season.
• Mason finished the game as the Purple Eagles leading rebounder with seven. It was the 12th time the forward finished with five or more rebounds this season.
• Mason's 14 points is a career-high for the senior, surpassing her previous career-high of 12 set last season against Quinnipiac. 

Up Next 
• Niagara will travel to Fairfield for its first of three-straight road games. The Purple Eagles and Stags will tip-off at 7 p.m. Thursday to conclude their season series.