LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Despite a strong performance from 3-point range, Niagara (9-9, 4-5 MAAC) fell 65-62 on the road Friday night to the Rider Broncs (7-9, 5-3 MAAC) in MAAC men's basketball action.
 
Three Purple Eagles finished with double-digit points, including Aaron Gray who had a team-best 18 points on on 5-for-8 shooting. The transfer also led the team with seven rebounds. Noah Thomasson added 17 points and Sam Iorio contributed 15 points, going 4-for-5 from 3-point land. As a team, Niagara finished the contest 59.1 percent from deep and 45.5 percent from the field.  
 
Game Recap
First Half
• With the score 4-2 in favor of Rider early on, the Purple Eagles would rattle off an 11-0 run to take a 13-4 lead over Rider as the game reached its first media timeout.
• The Broncs would respond with an 7-4 run to make it a 15-12 game at the 12:42 mark of the first half.
• Aaron Gray would connect on a deep 3-pointer to put an end to the Purple Eagle scoreless drought and give NU an 18-13 lead, followed by a layup from Joe Kasperzyk to put Niagara up by seven, 20-13.
• With less than four minutes to go, Sam Iorio would connect on his third 3-pointer of the half, putting the Purple Eagles on top 31-23.
• Niagara would take a 35-30 lead into the break, finishing the half shooting 50.9 percent from the floor and 53.8 percent from 3-point land.
 
Second Half
• The Purple Eagles would start the second half on a 10-4 run, leading to a 45-34 lead for Niagara with 16:38 on the clock.  
• Rider would use an 11-2 run over 4:14 of game action, putting the Broncs down by two, 45-43.
• With 11:13 on the clock, Rider's Betrand would make a pair at the line to tie the game at 46-46, and two minutes later, the Broncs would take their first lead since early in the first half following a jumper from Murray Jr.
• Lance Erving would put an end to the Purple Eagles scoreless drought with a corner 3-pointer, his first of the game and the Purple Eagles' 10th of the contest.
• With Rider up by three, 52-49, Noah Thomasson would connect on a 3-pointer from the top of the arc, tying the game at 52-52.
•  Bryce Moore would tie the game at 57-57 and Iorio gave Niagara a 60-57 lead with under a minute to go with back-to-back 3-pointers.
• With 57.7 seconds left, Rider would make two at the line to take a 63-62 lead over NU.
• The Broncs would score with 11.4 seconds remaining to make it a 65-62 game and on the ensuing Niagara possession, Thomasson would come up short on the game-tying 3-pointer, allowing Rider to run out the final seconds. 
 
Niagara Notes
• Friday marked the 56th meeting all-time between Niagara and Rider dating back to 1992. The Broncs now own a 31-25 all-time series lead.
• The Purple Eagles matched their season-high with 13 3-pointers. Gray and Iorio both connected on four of the 13.
• Niagara drops to 8-10 all-time on Jan. 20.
• For Gray, Friday marked the fourth time this season the sophomore has led NU in scoring.
• Niagara had 12 assists, with Moore, Thomasson and Iorio each recording three.
• Harlan Obioha had two steals in seven minutes off the bench, a season-high for the first-year Purple Eagle.
 
Up Next
• The Purple Eagles will head to Jersey City for a date with Saint Peter's on Sunday, Jan. 22, a 2 p.m. tip from Run Baby Run Arena.
 
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