60-58 Niagara; 3:58 in the 2nd

• Nero gets called now for a hold on the floor. That's the Stags' ninth foul - giving the Purple Eagles a "one-and-one" after the media timeout.
  
• Nero gets a clean, beautiful-looking block on Anthony Nelson in the lane. Eagles' retain, but that was big.
  
• Herbie gets the first, but whiffs on the second. Story of the night for Fairfield. 60-58 Niagara.
  
• Herbie Allen fakes a shot, then drives base line and gets a foul call against the Purple Eagles. Herbie gets a pair on the shooting foul.
  
• Charron Fisher buries a deep jump shot against Greg Nero to keep Niagara up. 60-57 Niagara.
  
• Nero drives the lane hard on a fake feed and gets the lay-up to go. 58-57 Niagara.
  
• Following a Niagara offensive board, Anthony Nelson is trapped in the corner anfd throws the ball off of Yorel to retain. Fisher whiffs on an air-ball moments later to hand the ball right back.
  
• Once again, the Stags are struggling mightily from the free throw line. Herbie misses the first freebie, but makes amends by at least getting the second. If the Stags had converted a few more free throws, this would be a totally different game right now. 58-55 Niagara.
  
• Herbie Allen tries to get the ball from Han in a perimeter post. Tyrone Lewis gets a little too frisky with him and is called for a hold. That's Niagara's eleventh team foul very early in this ball game.
  
• Anthony Johnson gets called for a pick that was a little too strong. Eagles' ball.
  
• Despite a ladies' game after it, there still is no strong showing of the Red Sea at Harbor Yard at this point. Hutch is here. But that kind of goes without saying.
  
• Creepy announcer guy: "Hey, fans? Who wants a t-shirt?" The real answers: who doesn't?
  

- Keith Connors