The visiting Niagara Purple Eagles shot a Koessler Athletic Center record 78.9 percent (15-for-19) from the field in the game's second half and the team outscored the Canisius Golden Griffins 51-36 in the final 20 minutes en route to an 82-71 victory in front of a sold out Koessler Athletic Center Tuesday night. The win, Niagara's third straight, improved the team to 7-21 overall and 6-13 in MAAC play while the Griffs saw their two-game winning streak come to an end as their record moves to 15-13 overall and 10-9 in conference action.

Canisius senior Jeremiah Williams scored a team-high 18 points to go with four assists in 32 minutes for the Blue and Gold, which shot 38.7 percent from the field, 41.4 percent from 3-point range and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line in the loss. Redshirt-freshman Kassius Robertson added 13 points and two steals for the Griffs, while senior Josiah Heath recorded 12 points and a team-best eight rebounds, as Canisius saw its four-game winning streak over Niagara come to an end. Sophomore Zach Lewis was good for nine points and three assists for Canisius and junior Kevin Bleeker added seven points and five rebounds.

Niagara trailed Canisius 35-31 at the halftime intermission, but the Purple Eagles came out of the locker room and took control of the game in the first 5:34 of the second half by outscoring Canisius 14-2, with redshirt-freshman Dominique Reed and redshirt-sophomore Emile Blackman accounting for 13 of Niagara's 14 points in the scoring run. A lay-up by  Heath at the 12:28 mark of the second half got the Griffs within six at 48-42, but Niagara pulled away with a 9-0 run over the game's next 3:07, capped by a made free-throw from Blackman. Niagara led by as many as 17 points in the second half, but the Griffs kept battling and cut the Purple Eagles' lead to just five at 75-70 with 58.6 seconds left to play on a 3-pointer by Williams. Niagara put any thoughts of a Canisius comeback to rest on its ensuing possession, as forward Ramone Snowden hit a streaking Blackman with a full-court pass, which he turned into a lay-up and a made free-throw for a traditional 3-point play, to push Niagara's hold to 78-70 with 58.2 seconds left on the clock.

"You can see that team [Niagara] is getting better and better and we had a tough time guarding them tonight," Canisius head coach Jim Baron said. "We tried to get the ball inside, but we ended up missing lay-ups. They can score in bunches and they really use their quickness to make things happen. They were ready to go tonight, and we were not."

Canisius opened the game by jumping out to an early 12-3 lead just 4:59 into the contest. Niagara fought back and eventually took a 19-18 lead in the game with 8:15 left before intermission. A 3-point field goal by Williams with 1:33 left before halftime put Canisius up 32-28 and the Blue and Gold went into the locker room after the first half up 35-31 when Bleeker tipped in an offensive rebound as the horn sounded to close out the first stanza.

Five Niagara players scored in double-figures in the win, led by Reid, who had a game-high 20 points to go with eight rebounds. Blackman chipped in 18 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Snowden posted 15 points, six boards, four assists and two steals. For the game, Niagara shot 60 percent from the field, 58.3 percent from 3-point range and 75 percent from the free-throw line while holding a 31-28 advantage on the glass.

The Griffs will play their final home game of the 2014-15 regular-season on Friday, Feb. 27, when the team hosts Fairfield in the Koessler Athletic Center. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and fans are asked to arrive early to help celebrate Canisius' two seniors, Heath and Williams, who will be making their final scheduled career appearance at home.