March 2, 2003
Box Score
By JOHN WAWROW
AP Sports Writer
LEWISTON, N.Y. - James Reaves' two-handed putback with 2.8 seconds
remaining lifted Niagara to an 88-87 win over Marist in both teams' regular
season finales on Sunday.
Juan Mendez scored 25 points for the Purple Eagles (16-11, 12-6), who kept
alive their chances of finishing fourth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic
Conference, and earning an automatic bye in next weekend's conference
championship tournament.
Niagara moved into a third-place tie with Siena, one win ahead of Iona.
Chris Handy scored a career-high 21 points for the Red Foxes (12-15, 8-10),
who had clinched sixth place earlier in the day when seventh-place Rider lost
to Canisius. Marist will open the conference tournament against Canisius on
Friday.
Reaves ended a back-and-forth battle, in which the lead changed hands four
times in the final 66 seconds. After Niagara's Tremmell Darden missed a
four-footer, Reaves outjumped two defenders to get the ball, throwing it back
up and banking it in.
Marist failed to get a final shot off when Handy bobbled Brandon Ellerbee's
pass.
Mendez added 10 rebounds to record his seventh double-double of the season.
Darden added 20 points while Reaves had 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Nick Eppehimer and Ellerbee scored 18 each for Marist, which opened by
scoring the game's first 15 points and led 20-4 six minutes into the first
half.
The Purple Eagles responded with a 15-3 run as the Red Foxes went almost
five minutes without scoring a point in a first half, which ended with Marist
ahead 42-40.
Marist played without its second-leading scorer, David Bennett, who rested a
sprained left ankle. Bennett, who had not missed a start all season, is
expected to play at next weekend's conference tournament.
