DUBLIN, IRELAND – Niagara handed Stetson its first loss of the season with a 66-62 victory Saturday afternoon at the National Basketball Arena to close out the MAAC/ASun Dublin Challenge with a pair of wins. Four Purple Eagles scored in double-figures, including Noah Thomasson who was named MAAC/ASun Dublin Challenge MVP. Bryce Moore, Aaron Gray and David Mitchell also reached double-digits in the scoring column.
 
First Half
• Freshman Bryce Moore got Niagara on the board early with the first two points of the game. The freshman would finish the half with nine points.
• The lead would change hands a few times before Stetson took a 10-7 lead with 12:36 on the clock, before Niagara scored four-straight points to take an 11-10 lead into the media timeout.
• Following the media timeout Aaron Gray would connect on a 3-pointer to put NU up by four, 14-10.
• After the lead changed hands twice, NU was able to go up by five, 24-19, after a 3-pointer from Moore and an alleyoop dunk by Touba Traroe.
• Niagara would maintain its lead for the remainder of the first half, only allowing Stetson to get within one, 26-25, with over three to go, before going into the locker room up by two, 31-29.
 
Second Half
• Stetson hit a 3-pointer on its first possession of the half to take a 32-31 lead but Braxton Bayless would respond with a floater in the lane to give the lead right back to NU.
• With 13:54 Stetson would have its largest lead of the game, 43-38, but that lead would only last :54 seconds as Moore would connect from 3-point range and Thomasson would drive the lane for two to tie it.
• Stetson would again go up by four with 9:09 left, but NU would tie it at 49 just one minute later with four points from Thomasson.
• Thomasson would make another at the line to complete his personal 5-0 run and give the Purple and White its first lead since the 19:10 mark of the second half.
• Harlan Obioha and made one in the lane and completed the 3-point play at the line, to give NU a four-point lead, 53-49, with 6:31 on the clock.
• Stetson would pull within two, 53-51, but Gray would quickly respond with a 3-pointer on the other end to keep the Hatters at arm's reach.
• The Hatters would tie it at 56 with just over three to go, however, Thomasson would make the front end of two at the line and a layup in the lane to  put NU up by three once again, this time with 2:25 to go.
• After a Hatter basket Niagara would get a timely offensive rebound by Moore on the next possesion, leading to a timeout by NU.
• Head Coach Greg Paulus would draw up Niagara's next play, which turned out to be a made 3-pointer for David Mitchell that gave NU a four-point advantage.
• Niagara would force a turnover with less than five seconds to go and Moore would go to the line and sink two to seal the win for the Purple Eagles.
 
Niagara Notes
• The Purple and White improve to 1-1 all-time against Stetson.
• Four Purple Eagles reached double-figures for the first time since Feb. 14, 2022 at Marist.
• Moore and Mitchell both reached double-figures for the first time as Purple Eagles, with Moore's 14 points being a season-high for the freshman. Mitchell finished with 10 points. 
• Gray added 13 points and a team-best nine boards as the Purple Eagles out-rebounded the Hatters, 33-29.
• Niagara shot 41.5 percent from the field, 44.4 percent from 3-point range and 77.8 percent at the line.
• 17 of NU's 66 came on second chance points, while another 17 came from role players.
• Transfer Joe Kasperzyk made his Purple Eagle debut playing 7:29 with a steal.
• For the third-straight game Thomasson led the team in scoring with 15 points. The Houston native also added three assists, which was a team-high.
 
Up Next
• Niagara will head back to a snowy Monteagle Ridge and take on local Division II foe D'Youville Wednesday at the Gallagher Center at 3 p.m.
 
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