NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – After falling on a last-second play in Loudonville, Niagara turned a five-point halftime deficit into a monster second half to force a regular season split with Siena in its home gym. The Purple Eagles (13-11, 10-4) took an 84-70 win over the Saints (13-9, 10-4) to end the team's seven-game win streak Thursday evening at the Gallagher Center in Niagara University, New York.

With Siena on its longest win streak in 21 years and Niagara having won its last six, the teams played to a 16-all deadlock in the first half before embarking on a 7-0 midway through the second quarter via a three-point play from Teresa Seppala and a triple from Alden Yergey. After the Purple Eagles took a 27-26 lead with three minutes to play before the half, the visitors ended the period with ten of the final 14 points to bring a five-point lead into the half.

After shooting 38 percent from the field in the first half, Niagara exploded to out-score the Saints, 53-34 in the second half by forcing turnovers and scoring associatively. Siena held a 42-36 lead thanks to mounting inside scoring from junior Anajah Brown with 7:22 remaining in the third, only for the home team to embark on a 27-8 run thereafter. Niagara netted 29 points in the third and 24 more in the fourth to hand Siena only its third loss this calendar year and its largest loss since December 21.

Despite the loss, the Green and Gold reached 70 points for the ninth straight game, marking the second-longest streak in program history, and shot 40 percent or better from the field for the 11^th straight game.

Both teams finished with four players in double figures, with the reigning MAAC Player of the Week Brown steadying the Saints with 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven steals for her third 20-point performance of the season. Sophomore London Gamble added 13 points, while Seppala and sophomore Elisa Mevius chipped in ten points apiece. Mevius added four assists to eclipse 100 helps for the second straight year, and stole three balls to move into a tie for third in single-season history.

Niagara shot 48.6 percent from the floor – including over 50 percent in each of the final two quarters – and eclipsed over 80 points for the sixth time in the last seven games. Graduate student Angel Parker led the team with 13 points, while MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Aaliyah Parker and Ary Hicks went for 12 and Saige Glover added 11. The Purple Eagles went for 52 paint points and got 43 points from its bench.

Siena will look to rebound and end its Western New York swing on a high note when it battles Canisius on Saturday, February 17 at 1 PM inside the Kessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, New York.