Dec. 6, 2003

Box Score

David Brooks scored 19 of his game-high 28 points before halftime, and Niagara held off several second half Siena rallies to emerge from Pepsi Arena with an 86-81 MAAC triumph before a paid crowd of 5,373 in snowy Albany Saturday afternoon. Michael Haddix scored a career-high 26 points to pace Siena.

The first half was one of runs. Niagara (4-0/2-0 MAAC) sprinted to leads of 8-0 and 11-1, before Tommy Mitchell registered Siena's first field goal at the 15:31 mark. The Saints responded with an 18-4 surge, taking their initial lead 16-15 on a Michael Haddix jumper. Haddix scored nine of his 26 points before intermission.

The Purple Eagles quickly erased Siena's seven-point lead (its largest of the game), scoring 29 of the half's final 35 points to take a 44-33 lead into the locker room. Brooks hit three of his four first half three-pointers during the spurt.

Siena (3-3/0-2 MAAC) scored the first six points of the second half, and Haddix scored six of the team's first eight as the Saints closed to within five. But Tremell Darden scored eight straight points for the Purple Eagles, as the lead bulged back to 12, 55-43.

The Saints methodically fought back into the game over the next 10 minutes, closing within two, 72-70, on a Justin Miller put back off an errant Mitchell free throw with 4:20 left.

Brooks gave Niagara a five-point lead less than a minute later converting all three free throws after drawing a foul from Jamal Jackson off a long-range attempt.

David Ryan's three closed the gap to two again with just under three minutes left, but Niagara scored the game's next six points to push the lead back to eight at the 2:25 mark. Darden capped off the decisive run with an emphatic jam off a steal.

Darden (16), Alvin Cruz (10) and James Reaves (14) reached double figures for Niagara. Mitchell (12), Miller (13) and Ryan (10) joined Haddix in doubles for the Saints.

Siena closes out its 2003 home schedule Wednesday evening as they host MAC member Toledo at 7 p.m. The Saints have never lost four straight games in the Rob Lanier era.