POUGHKEEPSIE,  N.Y. – Niagara (15-15, 11-9 MAAC) dropped its regular-season finale Saturday afternoon to Marist (17-12, 12-8 MAAC) by the final score of 63-62 as Luke Bumbalough had his game-winning shot waived off after official review.
 
Dre Bullock scored a game-high 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting, including going 5-for-6 from behind the arc. Braxton Bayless scored 13 and Kwane Marble Jr., finished with 10 points as a trio of Purple Eagles recorded double figures. Harlan Obioha added eight points and a team-high 12 rebounds. As a team, Niagara went 21-for-49 from the field, 8-for-16 from 3-point land and 12-for-12 from the line.
 
Marist was led by Josh Pascarelli's 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting, followed by 13 points from Jackson Price, who finished with a share of the team lead on the glass, with five rebounds. The Red Foxes shot 47.8 percent from the field, including 35.7 percent from three. At the line, Marist shot 73.7 percent.
 
How it Happened
With the game tied 20-20 with 8:06 remaining in the first half, Niagara would explode for a 10-0 run to take a 30-20 lead over Marist with 4:33 remaining in the opening stanza.
 
The three-plus minute run saw Niagara go 3-for-4 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three and 2-for-2 at the line to give the Purple Eagles its largest lead of the half. Marble had four of the 10 for NU, and Bullock connected on his fourth 3-pointer of the half to highlight offensive explosion.
 
After Marist made it a four-point game, 30-26, the Purple and White would outscore Marist 10-5 in the final minutes of the half to take a 40-31 lead into the break.
 
The Purple Eagles started the second half 2-for-5 from the floor, allowing Marist to make it a four-point contest, 44-40, with 14:35 to play, but Bullock would sink his fifth three of the game to put NU back up by seven, 47-40.
 
Niagara would maintain at least a five-point lead over the next 8:45 of action before Price connected on a jumper to put the Red Foxes down 56-52.
 
Three minutes later, Marist would tie the game at 58-58 with 3:23 remaining in the contest.
 
With 34-seconds on the clock, Marist would take a 61-60 lead over Niagara, its first lead since the 9:15 mark of the first half.
 
Kam Farris would miss the backend of his two at the line, allowing Niagara to bring the ball down court before calling timeout with 28-seconds remaining.
 
Niagara would go to Bayless following the timeout and the senior would deliver, putting the Purple Eagles up 62-61 with 10-seconds left.
 
Pascarelli would hit the pull up jumper on the other end to give Marist a 63-62 lead with just over two-seconds remaining.
 
Niagara would inbound the ball to Bumbalough who connected on the would-be-game-winner, but following an official review, it was determined he didn't get the shot off before the final buzzer, giving Marist the win.
 
Niagara Notes
• Saturday marked the 59th meeting all-time between Niagara and Marist with the Purple Eagles falling to 33-26 all-time against the Red Foxes.
• Niagara recorded its second game this season with a perfect free throw percentage after finishing Saturday's contest 12-for-12 at the line.
• Niagara's 8-2 MAAC road record is the best in program history.
• The Purple and White finished the season with a 11-9 record in league play, its most wins in conference action since winning 12 in the 2017-18 season. It is also the first time Niagara has finished over .500 in league play since 17-18. 
• Bullock's led Niagara in scoring for the second time this season. 
• Obioha notched his seventh double-digit rebounding effort this season and eighth of his career.
• Marble finished with 10 points, marking the 11th MAAC game this season where the grad transfer recorded double figures. 
• Niagara made eight 3-pointers in the contest, marking the 11th time this season the Purple Eagles made at least eight threes. Niagara is 5-6 in those contests.
• Bumbalough finished with three steals.
 
Up Next
Niagara will play No. 11 Siena on Tuesday, March 12 in Atlantic City, N.J., in the first round of the MAAC Championship. The game is scheduled for a 9:45 p.m. tip from Jim Whalen Boardwalk Hall on ESPN+.
 
Todd Callen will describe the action on 1400 AM.
 
For more information on the MAAC Men's Basketball Championship, including tickets, hotels, and much more, visit MAACSports.com
 
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