FAIRFIELD, CONN. – Niagara (13-11, 9-5 MAAC) earned its seventh-straight road win as it staved off Fairfield (15-10, 9-5 MAAC) 65-63 Friday night in MAAC men's basketball action from Mahoney Arena.
 
Five Purple Eagles scored double figures in the win, led by Ahmad Henderson II with 15 on 6-of-13 shooting. Kwane Marble Jr. finished with 14 points, followed by Luke Bumbalough and Harlan Obioha with 11 apiece and Dre Bullock with 10. Obioha added 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season while Bumbalough led the team with five assists. Niagara shot 52.0 percent from the field and 72.7 percent at the line. The Purple Eagles won the battle on the boards, 33-29.
 
Fairfield had four players record double-digit points, led by 14 apiece from Jalen Leach and Alexis Yetna. Caleb Fields finished with 13 and Jasper Floyd had 12 in the loss. The Stags finished the contest 20-for-55 from the field, a 36.4 percent mark.
 
How it Happened
With 12:44 on the clock in the first half, the Purple Eagles took off on an 11-0 run with Fairfield up 17-15 to take a nine-point lead over the Stags. Four different Purple Eagles scored during the four-minute and 12-second run, including four from Bullock and a three from Henderson to cap it off.
 
A couple of minutes later, the Stags would make it a five-point game with 5:33 remaining in the opening stanza on a Yetna triple to conclude a 6-0 swing for Fairfield.
 
A three from Bumbalough and a layup from Marble gave Niagara a 10-point advantage two possessions later, the Purple and White's largest lead of the half.
 
Fairfield would close the half outscoring Niagara 7-3 to trim the Purple Eagles lead to six, 36-30.
 
Niagara would hold onto a slim lead for the first four minutes of the second half before the Stags connected on a 3-pointer to tie the game at 40, before taking their first lead since the 12:44 mark of the first half, 43-42, with 14:09 on the clock.
 
The Purple Eagles wouldn't trail for long as a pair of free throws by Bumbalough and a jumper from Braxton Bayless put NU up by three, 46-43.
 
The Niagara lead would grow to a second-half high of seven points, 56-49, as Henderson knocked down a jumper at the six-minute mark and the Purple and White would hold on to at least a three-point advantage until a Fields jumper made it a one-point game, 63-62, with 2:22 to go.
 
The Niagara defense would stay strong, holding the Stags scoreless in the final 2:22 of the contest, including a block of a 3-pointer by Bullock, to help Niagara improve to 6-0 in MAAC road games this season.
 
Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 49-37 all-time against Fairfield and completes the season sweep of the Stags for the second-straight season.
• The Purple and White have won four-straight against Fairfield for the first time in 20 years.
• Five Purple Eagles scored double-digit points for the first time since Niagara's win over Fairfield on Jan. 12, 2024.
• Niagara made over half its shots for the ninth time this season, improving to 8-1 in those games.
• The Purple and White had a halftime lead for the 10th time this season and are 8-2 when leading at the break.
• Henderson led the team in scoring for the ninth time this season as he recorded double figures for the 18th time.
•  Niagara outscored Fairfield 40-22 in the paint.
• Bumbalough reached double figures for the first time since Feb. 2 at Saint Peter's.
• Marble has now scored 10 or more points in eight league games this season.
• Obioha's double-double is his fourth of the year and first since Jan. 19 at Rider.
 
Up Next
Niagara will remain in Connecticut for a Sunday afternoon battle with MAAC frontrunner Quinnipiac. The Bobcats and Purple Eagles will tip-off at 2 p.m. on ESPN+. Fans can listen to Todd Callen describe the action on WGR550.
 
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