Score: Niagara 70, UAlbany 65
 
Location: SEFCU Arena in Albany, N.Y.
 
Records: UAlbany (0-3, 0-2 AE) | Niagara (3-3, 2-2 MAAC)
 
Short Story: CJ Kelly's 17 leads all scorers but UAlbany stumbles late against Niagara, 70-65.
 
Key Stats
 

• CJ Kelly led all scorers with 17 points
• Antonio Rizzuto made his first start of the season
• JoJo Anderson shot 3-3 from three in the first 2:22 of the game
• UAlbany shot 53.8% from the floor in the first half
• Niagara shot 8-9 to start the second half
• Niagara shot 14-14 from the line
• UAlbany went scoreless the last 2:06 of the game

 
Coach Brown: "I thought we looked a little bit tired today in the second half.  The turning point in this game was the beginning of the second half.  We did not guard the ball well, and offered very little resistance.  Having played 100 minutes up to that point, I thought our individual and team defense had been really solid, so I was disappointed with the way we started the second half.  We allowed Niagara to get comfortable and get in a rhythm.  We left some points on the board, and we have to do a better job finishing around the basket.  That's something we have to continue to work on."
 
How it Happened

• UAlbany opened the game on an 8-0 run, with JoJo Anderson contributing six on two three-pointers.  Anderson converted on each of his first three three-point attempts, giving UAlbany an 11-2 lead with 17:38 left in the first half.
• Niagara closed within six mid-way through the first half, despite suffering a 1-6 shooting stretch from behind the arc.  A pair of missed free throws from UAlbany saw Niagara cut the lead further to four, before CJ Kelly hit a three to put UAlbany back up seven with 7:37 left before the break.
• Niagara hit back-to-back threes to cut UAlbany's lead to one with 5:32 left in the first, holding UAlbany scoreless for more than two minutes before Trey Hutcheson hit a jumper in the corner to end the Great Danes' drought.  The Purple eagles took their first lead, 28-26, after a three with 3:47 remaining.
• CJ Kelly scored five-straight points for UAlbany to put the Great Danes up by three with 2:29 left in the first.  The Great Danes would take a five-point lead into halftime.
• A 6-0 run for Niagara early in the second half put the Purple Eagles up three with 14:27 to go, forcing a UAlbany timeout.  UAlbany had hit just one of their previous six shots and had not scored in more than three minutes.  Niagara's run grew to 11-0 over a stretch of nearly six minutes before Antonio Rizzuto hit a three from the top of the arc to end UAlbany's drought.
• Kelly tied the game for UAlbany at 57 with 6:04 left in the second after the Great Danes trailed by as many as eight.  But Niagara outscored UAlbany 13-8 down the stretch, including holding the Great Danes scoreless over the final two minutes, to claim victory.

 
Next: UAlbany returns to action after the new year and will take their first road trip of the season, visiting defending America East champion and preseason conference favorite Vermont for two games on January 2 and 3.