WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – A 3-pointer from Justin Roberts with just nine seconds left in overtime earned the Purple Eagles (9-11, 4-7 MAAC) a 70-69 victory over the Monmouth Hawks (13-7, 5-4 MAAC) on Sunday.

Game Recap
First Half

• Niagara went on an 8-2 run to open the game, which included two points each from Noah Thomasson, Marcus Hammond, Rob Brown III and Sam Iorio.
• The Hawks came within three, 8-5, but Thomasson scored five straight points and Steven Levnaic converted a 3-point play to give the Purple Eagles an 11-point lead, 16-5, with a little under 10 and a half minutes remaining in the first half.
• Hammond sank back-to-back 3-pointers to put Niagara ahead of Monmouth, 23-9, with eight minutes to go.
• Iorio made a step-back three to give NU a 12-point lead, 26-14.
• Monmouth went on an 8-0 run to cut Niagara's lead to four points, 26-22, with about three and a half minutes left until halftime.
• The Purple Eagles and the Hawks went back and forth, and Niagara had the lead, 30-28, at the half.

Second Half

• Hammond made two 3-pointers early in the second half to put NU ahead by six points, 36-30.
• Hammond's second triple started Niagara on a 13-0 run, which also included two treys from Brown III, to give the Purple Eagles a 16-point advantage, 46-30.
• Monmouth answered with 10 straight points to cut Niagara's lead to six points, 46-40.
• With a little over three minutes remaining in the second half, a bucket from Greg Kuakumensah put NU ahead by eight, 60-52. The Hawks, however, went on a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the game, 61-60.
• A free throw from Kuakumensah with about 30 seconds remaining tied the score, 61-61.
• The teams remained tied at the end of regulation to force the game into overtime.

Overtime

• A foul shot from Kuakumensah and a bucket from Hammond put the Purple Eagles back in the lead, 64-62.
• The Hawks quickly tied things up again, 64-64.
• A 3-pointer and two free throws from Monmouth put the Hawks in the lead, 69-65, with a little over a minute left in OT.
• Two free throws from Hammond brought NU within two points of Monmouth, 69-67, with 48 seconds remaining.
• With nine seconds to go, Roberts hit the 3-pointer that earned the Purple Eagles the one-point victory over the Hawks to split the season series.

Eagle's Eye On

• Hammond led all scorers with 27 points. He also brought down five rebounds.
• Iorio was just short of a double-double with 11 points and a team-best nine rebounds. He led the team in steals with three and in blocks with four.
• Thomasson added 10 points and dished out a team-high five assists.
• Touba Traore set career-highs in rebounds with six and blocks with three.
• Brown III added nine points for the Purple Eagles.

Up Next

• The Purple Eagles return to the Gallagher Center to host Manhattan on Friday, Feb. 4 at 7:00 p.m. and Iona on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 1:00 p.m.

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