LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Despite a late second-half comeback in which they almost overcame a 13-point deficit, the Purple Eagles (12-14, 7-10 MAAC) were defeated by Rider (11-16, 7-10 MAAC), 70-68, on Friday night.

Game Recap
First Half

• Four straight points from Greg Kuakumensah tied things up early, 4-4, and a successful three-point play from Jordan Cintron kept the score tied, 7-7, with 14 minutes to go.
• With a little over 12 minutes on the clock, Justin Roberts hit a 3-pointer to leave the Purple Eagles trailing the Broncs by one point, 11-10.
• Rider, however, went on an 11-4 run to get ahead of the Purple Eagles by seven, 21-14.
• Two jumpers from Noah Thomasson put NU within five points of the lead, 23-18, with about three and a half minutes remaining in the first half.
• A three-point play from Kuakumensah left Niagara trailing by just four points, 25-21, but the Broncs held NU off for the final minutes of the half and led, 29-21, going into halftime.

Second Half

• Marcus Hammond opened scoring in the second half with a bucket to cut the Broncs' lead to six points, 29-23.
• A layup from Sam Iorio put the Purple Eagles within five points of Rider, 36-31, with a little over 13 and a half minutes on the clock.
• The Broncs took a 40-31 lead, but a jumper from Thomasson kept the Rider lead at seven points, 40-33.
• Two 3-pointers from Rob Brown III kept Niagara within seven, 48-41, with 8:14 to go.
• Rider took its largest lead of the game, 58-45, with a little over four minutes remaining, but Niagara began to mount a comeback.
• Layups from Thomasson and Kuakumensah and a triple from Hammond cut the Rider lead back to single digits, 60-52.
• Hammond was fouled beyond the arc and sank all three free throws to put the Purple Eagles within five points of the lead, 60-55.
• Two triples from Hammond left Niagara trailing by only three points, 64-61, with 30 seconds to play.
• With under 20 seconds to go, a layup from Thomasson kept NU within striking distance of the lead, 66-63.
• With just four seconds on the clock, Kuakumensah sank a 3-point bucket to make it a single possession game, 68-66.
• The Broncs scored to get ahead by four, 70-66, with three seconds left.
• A jumper from Kuakumensah put NU back within two with one second to go, 70-68, but it was not enough time for the Purple Eagles to overcome the Broncs.

Eagle's Eye On

• Hammond had a double-double with a team-high 18 points and 11 rebounds. His 11 rebounds are a season-high and just one short of his career-high.
• Kuakumensah added a season-high 16 points and Thomasson had 14 points.
• Hammond and Thomasson led the Purple Eagles in assists with four each.
• Brown III added eight points for NU.

Up Next

• Niagara closes out its regular season road schedule at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 27 at Saint Peter's.

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