Box Score Niagara Univ., NY - Junior forward Gary Springer recorded new career-highs with 21 points and 16 rebounds but the Iona College men's basketball team could not over take Niagara in an 81-75 loss in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Gallagher Center. The Gaels (10-17, 6-9 MAAC) used a stingy second half defense to keep themselves in the game.

The Purple Eagles (16-8, 10-5 MAAC) came out firing scoring its first nine points from behind the arc to take an early lead. The home team increased its lead to a game-high 12 points at the midway point of the first half. The Gaels began to clamp down but could not get within five points before the intermission. Two Devon Clarke free throws with 58 seconds remaining represented the final points of the half, cutting the Niagara lead to 44-39.

The Gaels continued to battle in the second half, cutting the deficit to a single point with 7:20 to go on a Clarke layup. The possesion saw four offensive rebounds before he put back his own miss to make the score 64-63 at the 7:20 mark. Niagara's Charron Fisher - who netted a game-high 41 points - ignited a 7-1 Purple Eagle run to give his squad a seven point advantage that the Gaels could not overcome.

Springer shot 9-of-13 from the field in his fourth double-double of the season and third in the last five games. Clarke added 15 points and six rebounds off the bench for the Gaels. Seniors Dexter Gray and Kyle Camper and sophomore De'Shaune Griffin had nine points a piece.

Stanley Hodge's 18 and Tyrone Lewis' 12 points backed up Fisher's 41 point effort. Outside of the team's trio of scorers, the rest of the squad managed just 10 points.

Niagara out shot the Gaels 47.1%-41.7%. The home team attepted just 18 field goals in the second half compared to 22 free throws. The Gaels took a 41-36 rebounding advantage.

Iona completes its Western NY swing in Monday night (Feb. 18) tilt with Canisius at the Koessler Center.