NIAGARA, N.Y. – The Tigers were hopeful of ending a 13-game road losing streak Sunday night but Niagara wouldn’t cooperate as the Purple Eagles sent Towson home from the Gallagher Center with a 79-62 loss.

The loss evened Towson’s record to 1-1 and stretched its road slide to 14. The win enabled Niagara to open 2008-09 on a winning note and avenge its 75-72 overtime loss to the Tigers in the Towson Center last year.

Niagara’s pressure knocked the Tigers out of sync early.  With the score tied 14-14 the Purple Eagles went on a 10-0 run that started them on their way. Turnovers plagued the Tigers who finished the game with 24 of them. Niagara registered 16 steals and blocked 13 Towson shots before the final horn ended the non-conference match up.

The Tigers suffered through a scoring drought that added to their woes. Niagara led by as many as 13 before taking a 42-31 lead at halftime.

Niagara kept after the Tigers in the second half, building to its largest lead, 65-43, at the 14:31 mark. From there both teams had trouble finding the basket. The Tigers launched 30 three-point attempts, hitting six of them. Niagara tried 29 treys among its 80 field goal attempts.

Freshman guard Troy Franklin led the Tigers with a career high 19 points. Sophomore guard Brian Morris added 15 points. Junior forward Calvin Lee gave the Tigers another solid effort on the boards off the bench, grabbing a team high nine boards.

Junior guard Josh Thornton, who opened the season with 24 points in the win over Navy, and junior forward Jarrel Smith who registered a career high 20 points against the Midshipmen, were checked for a combined nine points on four for 18 shooting.

The Purple Eagles had four players in double figures led by Tyrone Lewis with 20 points and eight blocks, a single game record for a Niagara guard. Benson Egemonye dominated the middle with 14 points and a career high 16 rebounds.

The Tigers are back in action again this Saturday when they host Hampton in the Towson Center at 5:00 p.m.