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Niagara University Athletics

Thomasson
65
Winner Niagara Niag 12-13,7-9 MAAC
54
Canisius Canis 8-19,4-12 MAAC
Winner
Niagara Niag
12-13,7-9 MAAC
65
Final
54
Canisius Canis
8-19,4-12 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Niagara Niag 33 32 65
Canisius Canis 21 33 54

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

NU Soars Past Canisius To Sweep Battle Of The Bridge

BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Purple Eagles (12-13, 7-9 MAAC) defeated crosstown rival Canisius (8-19, 4-12 MAAC), 65-54, on Saturday to sweep the annual Battle of the Bridge series.

Game Recap
First Half
  • The Purple Eagles and the Griffs traded buckets and the lead to open the first half. Trailing Canisius by three, 10-7, a triple from Marcus Hammond with a little under 13 and a half minutes on the clock started the Purple Eagles on an 11-0 run, which included five total points from Hammond and two each from Noah Thomasson, Jordan Cintron and Sam Iorio, and put Niagara in the lead, 18-10, with 10:30 remaining.
  • Ahead 18-14, Niagara scored eight straight points to extend its lead, 26-14. Iorio, Julian Mackey, Greg Kuakumensah and Hammond each had a bucket during the 8-0 run.
  • Five more points from Iorio put the Purple Eagles up by 14, 33-19, with a little under two minutes until halftime.
  • NU allowed the Griffs just one more bucket in the final minute and a half of play and led 33-21 at the half.
Second Half
  • Jumpers from Touba Traore and Thomasson put Niagara ahead by 13 points, 37-24, early in the second half.
  • With a little under 14 minutes remaining, Justin Roberts sank his first triple of the game, giving Niagara a 42-26 lead over the Griffs.
  • Dunks from Kuakumensah and Iorio capped both ends of a 6-0 run for the Purple Eagles and helped NU to a 52-33 lead over Canisius.
  • Another dunk from Iorio with about four and a half minutes left gave Niagara a 14-point advantage, 58-44.
  • With 3:30 to go, Roberts made another trey to keep NU comfortably in the lead, 61-46.
  • Thomasson and Cintron each added buckets for Niagara in the remainder of the half as the Purple Eagles downed the Griffs, 65-54, in the Koessler Athletic Center.

Eagle's Eye On
  • Iorio led all scorers with 17 points, just one short of his season-high. He shot 50 percent (7-for-14) from the field.
  • Iorio and Kuakumensah led the team in rebounds with seven each. Kuakumensah also had nine points.
  • Hammond added 13 points and grabbed five rebounds.
  • Thomasson scored 10 points and dished out a team-high five assists. He also brought down five rebounds.
  • Iorio and Cintron each had three assists and Hammond, Thomasson and Iorio each recorded two steals.

Up Next
  • The Purple Eagles wrap up their regular season road schedule with a game at Rider on Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m. and a game at Saint Peter's on Feb. 27 at 2:00 p.m.

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