Niagara University Athletics

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Freshman Ahmad Henderson II scored a game-high 28 points, but Niagara (0-2, 0-0 MAAC) fell to the visiting Bucknell Bison (1-2, 0-0 Patriot) by the final score of 73-64. 
 
Niagara shot 44.4 percent from the floor as a team, including 34.8 percent from three-point land. At the line, the Purple Eagles went 8-for-12, a 66.7 percent mark. Graduate transfer Luke Bumbalough tallied 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting, while Yaw Obeng-Mensah added 10 points. Sophomore Harlan Obioha had nine points and a team-best six rebounds. 
 
Bucknell finished the game shooting 52.8 percent from the field and winning the battle on the glass, 36-16. Noah Williamson (22 points, 11 rebounds) and Jack Forrest (11 points, 10 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for the Bison.
 
How it Happened
Bucknell jumped out to a 6-2 lead over the first 3:15 of game action before Bumbalough's back-to-back 3-pointers gave Niagara an 8-6 lead with 15:58 on the clock. 
 
Niagara would build its lead to nine points, 17-8, courtesy of a 9-0 run, over the next 4:16 of play, getting baskets from Henderson, Braxton Bayless, Kwane Marble Jr., and Bumbalough.
 
Following the under-12 media timeout, the Bison would trim the Purple Eagle lead to three, 17-14, with a small 6-0 run of their own, but the Purple Eagles would respond with five points of their own, all coming from Henderson to go back up by eight, 22-14, with 7:13 remaining in the first half. 
 
Niagara's first-half lead grew to as much as nine points, 25-16, following Bumbalough's third 3-pointer with 5:25 remaining. 
 
From there, Bucknell would outscore NU, 16-4, over the final five minutes to take a 32-29 lead into the locker room. 
 
Niagara retook the lead out of the break when Henderson and Obioha capitalized on Bucknell turnovers, giving the Purple Eagles a slim 36-34 lead. 
 
However, Bucknell would regain control and never look back as the Bison built a 10-point second-half lead over Niagara with 8:47 remaining. 
 
The Purple and White would use the nest 3:02 of game action to trim the deficit to three, 60-57, as Obeng-Mensah and Henderson combined for 11 points during a 13-6 run for the Purple Eagles.
 
That run would be Niagara's last of the contest as the Bucknell Bison staved off any comeback effort in the final three minutes to earn the nine-point victory. 
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara dropped to 5-6 all-time against Bucknell. The Bison have won the last five meetings in the series. 
• Henderson's 28 points is the most by a freshman in their home debut, surpassing Juan'ya Green's 25 points against Central Connecticut in 2011. 
• The Purple Eagles made a season-high eight 3-pointers, one more than they had on Monday night in South Bend. 
• Henderson, Bumbalough, and Obeng-Mensah recorded double-digit points for the second consecutive game. 
• The Purple and White scored 13 points off turnovers and nine on fast break chances. 
• Senior Lance Erving started for the Purple Eagles for the first time since Jan. 20, 2023, at Rider. 
• The 1,239 attendance is the largest home opener crowd since 1,251 people showed up for the home opener in 2019, the first game in the Paulus era. 
 
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