Niagara University, N.Y. – Jaeden Marshall scored 21 points off the bench to lead Niagara University to an 88-69 victory over the Le Moyne College men's basketball team in the non-conference finale for both teams on Sunday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.

Sophomore guard AJ Dancler (Indianapolis, Ind./Southport) led the Dolphins offensively for the third time this season with 17 points, including 10 in the second half, while adding a career-high four steals and three assists. Senior forward Ocypher Owens (Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep/Indian River State) recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 rebounds (eight in the second half) in his return to the lineup following a three-game absence.

Marshall tallied 12 of his game-high point total in the first half on perfect shooting (3-of-3 overall, 2-of-2 from three-point range and 4-of-4 from the foul line). Justice Smith turned in 15 points in a reserve role, including 11 in the second half. Zion Russell and Jahari Williamson each recorded 11 points. Josiah Davis filled the stat sheet with 10 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals.

The Dolphins opened the game with the first seven points over the initial 2:04. Dancler made a lay-up, junior guard Zek Tekin (Istanbul, Turkey/Ozel Esenkent Okaynus Anadolu Lisesi/Siena) hit a three-pointer and then graduate student guard Robby Carmody (Mars, Pa./Mars Area/Notre Dame/Mercer) converted two foul shots after a Niagara player was ejected.

The Purple Eagles responded with the next nine points for their first lead. Marshall made a three-pointer, Smith and Will Shortt made lay-ups and then Davis had a fast-break lay-up for the lead.

Carmody scored three points over the next two possessions to kickstart a span in which the teams exchanged the lead eight times over five and one-half minutes.

Following a three-pointer by graduate student guard Will Amica (Syracuse, N.Y./West Genesee/UAlbany) to put the Dolphins up 20-19 with 10:56 left, the Purple Eagles scored 11 of the next 13 points to open up an eight-point lead with 6:45 left. Williamson scored the first five points, Davis had a dunk off a steal and then Shortt and Smith scored to answer a Le Moyne basket.

Le Moyne responded with the next eight points to even the score at 30. Redshirt junior forward Dwayne Koroma (Berlin, Germany/Bishop Walsh (Md.)/Iona/Salt Lake C.C./UT Arlington) had a lay-up, Carmody registered a conventional three-point play and then redshirt sophomore forward Nate Fouts (Skaneateles, N.Y./Skaneateles/Kimball Union Academy) buried a three-pointer to tie the score.

Following four free throws from Jhaylon Martinez in a span of 20 seconds, Owens drained a three-pointer and made two free throws 29 seconds later to give Le Moyne its last lead of the game, 35-34, with 3:07 remaining.

Niagara closed out the half with eight of the last nine points for a 42-36 lead at the intermission. Marshall put his team in front for good with a three-pointer, Williamson made a foul shot, Marshall made two free throws and then Marshall had a tip-in with one second left to wrap up the scoring.

After the teams went back and forth over the opening three and one-half minutes of the second half, Niagara ran off 13 straight points for its first 20-point lead of the game. Martinez made a lay-up, Russell hit a three-pointer, Olumide Adelodun had a fast-break lay-up to force a Le Moyne timeout, Marshall drained a three-pointer and then Smith had a conventional three-point play for a 63-43 advantage with 12:13 left.

The Dolphins trimmed their deficit to 13 with 7:50 remaining with 12 of the next 17 points. Six different Dolphins scored in the span, led by three points from junior guard Freds Pauls Bagatskis (Riga, Latvia/Complejo Educativo Mas Camarena (Spain)/Georgia Tech/UT Arlington), who returned to the lineup following a nine-game absence.

Following four points from each team over the next 94 seconds, Russell hit a three-pointer and Smith made a lay-up to push the margin back to 18 with 4:35 left.

The teams traded points the remainder of the game.

Le Moyne (5-10) opens Northeast Conference action on Friday at 7:00 p.m. against LIU at Barclays Center, the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and the WNBA Champion New York Liberty.