Mount St. Mary's Tops Niagara 68-58 Behind Balanced Effort

Mount St. Mary's delivered a decisive 68-58 victory over Niagara at the Gallagher Center, led by a strong performance from Arlandus Keyes, who scored 15 points to pace the Mountaineers. The win marked a notable road triumph for Mount St. Mary's, which improved its record to 8-12. Despite being predicted to lose by a narrow margin, Mount St. Mary's controlled the tempo of the game, outscoring Niagara 38-24 in the second half to secure the 10-point win.

The first half saw both teams struggle to find their rhythm, with Mount St. Mary's trailing 34-30 at the break. However, the Mountaineers regrouped and came out strong in the second half, with Keyes and Luke McEldon leading the charge. McEldon finished with 12 points and 6 rebounds, while Xavier Lipscomb added 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists to round out the Mountaineers' balanced attack. Will Shortt was the lone bright spot for Niagara, posting a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Mountaineers' collective effort.

CHD Scout had predicted a narrow 70-70 tie, with Niagara edging out the win by 0.9 points, but Mount St. Mary's had other plans. The Mountaineers' victory marked a significant departure from the predicted outcome, as they outplayed Niagara in the second half to secure the win. The loss drops Niagara to 5-13, and while the Purple Eagles had their moments, they couldn't sustain the momentum against a determined Mount St. Mary's squad.

The game's outcome has implications for both teams' tournament resumes, as this contest was classified as a Quadrant 4 game for both Mount St. Mary's and Niagara. For Mount St. Mary's, the win helps to bolster its resume, albeit slightly, as it adds another victory to its ledger. However, the quality of the win is tempered by the fact that it came against a Quadrant 4 opponent. Nevertheless, the Mountaineers will take the win and look to build on the momentum as they continue their season. For Niagara, the loss is another setback in a challenging campaign, and the Purple Eagles must regroup and refocus as they seek to turn their season around. As it stands, Mount St. Mary's current NET ranking of 293 suggests the team still has work to do to bolster its tournament chances, but this win is a step in the right direction.