RIVERDALE, NY – The Purple Eagles saw their four-game win streak come to an end on Sunday afternoon as Manhattan (5-10, 3-3 MAAC) topped Niagara (9-6, 4-2 MAAC) 64-59 in MAAC men’s basketball action from Draddy Gymnasium.
Noah Thomasson finished with 23 points, going 8-for-16 from the floor. Lance Erving scored eight points and grabbed five boards, while Sam Iorio and Joe Kasperzyk added seven points apiece. As a team, Niagara went 20-for-53 from the field, including 5-for-18 from 3-point land, and 14-for-17 from the line.
Game Recap
First Half
• Niagara quickly jumped out to a 10-4 lead, using an early 6-0 run that was highlighted by Thomasson corner three.
• The Jaspers would respond with a 10-4 run over the next four minutes of the contest to tie the game at 14-14 with 11:13 remaining in the first half.
• Bryce Moore would give Niagara a 20-18 lead over the Jaspers at the 8:47 mark with his first 3-pointer of the contest.
• Niagara would maintain its lead for the remainder of the half, building it to five, 31-26, on a Kasperzyk corner three.
• With Niagara up 33-28 in the final minute of the half, Manhattan would go to the line and make three shots to make it a 33-31 game at the break.
• Thomasson led all scorers with 15 points at half, while Iorio added five points, three steals and two assists in the first 20 minutes of play.
Second Half
• Early in the second half, Lance Erving and David Mitchell would combine for six points for Niagara, giving the Purple Eagles a 39-35 lead at the first media timeout of the half.
• Manhattan would tie the game at 41-41, capping off a 6-3 spurt for the Jaspers.
• The Jaspers would take their first lead, 44-43, since early in the first half at the 11:44 mark of the second stanza, forcing Niagara to call timeout.
• The Manhattan lead would grow to six, 49-43, with under ten-minutes to go in regulation.
• Thomasson would connect on a step-back 3-pointer while also drawing a foul to put the Purple Eagles down by two, 49-47.
• Sam Iorio would go to the line on NU’s next possession, tying the game at 49 with 9:10 to play.
• With Manhattan leading the contest 56-55 with 3:23 to go, Thomasson would go to the line and give Niagara a 57-56 lead.
• The Jaspers would have a 60-57 lead over Niagara with just over a minute left, forcing Niagara to use its full timeout.
• Erving would make it a one-point game with a layup, but the Jaspers would respond on the other end and force Niagara to take its final timeout with 19.8 remaining.
• The Jaspers would seal the game at the line, giving the game its 64-59 final.
Niagara Notes
• Sunday marked the 94th meeting all-time between Niagara and Manhattan, with the Jaspers taking a 59-35 series lead.
• Thomasson has finished with 20 or more points nine times this season, including eight times in the last 10 games.
• David Mitchell led Niagara with six rebounds as the Purple and White won the battle on the boards 29-27.
• Iorio recorded three steals as the Purple Eagles forced 15 turnovers.
• Niagara, who had a two-point lead at the break, lost its first game this season while going into the second half with a lead.
Up Next
• The Purple and White return home for a pair of MAAC men’s basketball contests against Siena (Friday, Jan. 13) and Marist (Sunday, Jan. 15). Friday night’s contest with Siena will air on ESPN3 while Sunday’s game versus the Red Foxes will broadcast live on ESPN+.
Tickets for both games can be purchased via purpleeagles.com/tickets or by calling the Niagara Ticket Office at (716) 286-TIXX (8499).
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