NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – Niagara erased a 16-point second half deficit to earn a 69-64 victory over rival Canisius Tuesday night in MAAC men's basketball action inside the Gallagher Center. 


The Purple Eagles improve to 12-10 overall and 8-4 in MAAC play, while Canisius drops to 8-14 overall and 3-9 in league play.
 
Three Purple Eagles recorded double figures led by a game-high 16 points from Harlan Obioha, followed by Ahmad Henderson II with 13 points, and Yaw Obeng-Mensah with 11 points and team-high nine rebounds. Niagara finished the game 28-for-57 from the field, including 4-for-16 from behind the arc, and 9-for-12 from the line.
 
Canisius was led by Frank Mitchell's 16-point, 14-rebound double-double and another 13 points from Bryce Okpoh. As a team, the Griffs finished 25-for-58 from the field, a 43.1 percent mark. Canisius shot 60.0 percent at the line and won the battle on the glass, 34-30.
 
How it Happened
After a first-half that saw Niagara shoot 39.0 percent from the field and commit eight turnovers, Canisius went into the locker room with a 40-26 lead over the Purple and White. The Golden Griffins would make it to 42-26 advantage, their largest of the game, out of the gate in the second half with a pair of free throws, however, the Purple and White would explode for a 19-3 run over the next 6:13 to tie the game at 45-45. 
 
Obeng-Mensah led the charge during the run with seven points as the team went 8-for-10 from the field to even the score.
 
From there, Canisius would quickly regain a lead, 49-45, after making back-to-back baskets, but Niagara used a layup from Braxton Bayless and a fast-break dunk from Dre Bullock to make it a one point game with 10:58 remaining in the contest and a few moments later tied the contest at 55 when Bayless went behind the back to find Marble for a game-tying basket.
 
Obeng-Mensah would give Niagara a 57-55 lead, the Purple Eagles' first since early on in the first half, with a second-chance basket on the next possession.
 
Niagara wouldn't look back getting a big three from Bullock, a dunk from Obioha and a pair of made free throws from both Henderson and Bumbalough to earn the comeback win.

Niagara Notes
• Niagara improves to 111-83 all-time against Canisius.
• A total of 30 of Niagara's 48 points in the paint came in the second half.
• Niagara scored 22 bench points and had 24 points off turnovers.
• The Purple Eagles' 16-point comeback is its largest since erasing a 17-point deficit to Quinnipiac on Feb. 10, 2023.
• Obioha recorded his eighth game this season with 10-plus points and sixth game as the team's leading scorer.
• Obeng-Mensah finished with 11 points, nine of which came in the second half, marked the 13th time this season the grad transfer reached double figures.
• Henderson II notched his 17th game this season with 10 or more points.
• Bayless led Niagara with five assists, the seventh time this season the senior has led Niagara in helpers.
• Niagara finished the game with seven steals, with Obeng-Mensah and Marble setting season-highs with three apiece.
 
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