FAIRFIELD, Conn.— Niagara staged a furious second-half rally but fell just short in a 70-66 loss to Fairfield on Thursday night at Leo D. Mahoney Arena.
 
How it Happened
The Purple Eagles (7-10, 2-4 MAAC) trailed by as many as 15 points early in the second half before mounting a comeback. Niagara outscored Fairfield 44-35 after halftime, shooting a blistering 65.2 percent in the final 20 minutes.
 
Justin Page, Jaeden Marshall and Zion Russell each scored 12 points to lead a balanced Niagara attack. The Purple Eagles cut the deficit on multiple occasions in the late going to just two points, including 66-64 with 22 seconds remaining on Olumide Adelodun's driving layup, but couldn't complete the comeback.
 
Prophet Johnson scored 12 points and Deon Perry added 15 for Fairfield (7-10, 3-3), which led for over 37 minutes. The Stags built their advantage with a strong first half, taking a 35-22 lead into the break.
 
Niagara dominated inside, outscoring Fairfield 34-22 in the paint, but the Stags hit 10 three-pointers and converted 12-of-13 free throws to hold off the Purple Eagles' late charge.
 
Niagara Notes
• The Purple and White are now 49-38 all-time against the Stags.
• Niagara's 44 second-half points is its second most in a game this season.
• Marshall and Russell each recorded their eighth game this season with double-digit points.
• Niagara moves to 2-2 on the season when shooting 49.0 percent or better from the field.
• The Purple Eagles lost their second consecutive game for the first time since November when it dropped four in a row.
 
Up Next
Niagara will head to Riverdale, N.Y., for a 2 p.m. meeting with the Jaspers of Manhattan on Saturday, Jan. 18.