ALBANY ... One night after a miraculous bank shot helped lift Niagara into the Metro

Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament final, the Purple Eagles couldn't complete their

mission with a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

The Purple Eagles, seeking their third NCAA appearance in five seasons, ran into a Siena

squad that seemed destined for postseason glory since the beginning of the season.

The Saints capped their quest for MAAC supremacy with a 77-70 victory over the Purple

Eagles Monday night at the Times Union Center in front of 9,744.

"All I'm feeling is sorrow right now, but no regrets," said junior guard Rob Garrison.

"When you put so much work into a goal and you come so close and you watch it slip away, it

hurts."

At this point, Niagara has to start thinking about the National Invitation Tournament.

Although their overall total of 26 wins is impressive, the Purple Eagles' RPI was 51 coming

into Monday's game.

"I hope we can get into the NCAA Tournament," said junior guard Tyrone Lewis. "Looking at

the bracket and how they do it, I don't think our strength of schedule is that strong."

Siena (26-7) is on its way, after preparing its season with an eye on the NCAAs, playing a

competitive schedule that included the likes of Pittsburgh, Saint Joseph's, Tennessee and

Kansas.

Their toughness showed on Monday. Everything seemed stacked against Niagara. NU entered the

tournament as the No.2 seed in what was unofficially regarded as the "Siena Invitational"

because the Saints were playing on their home court. The Purple Eagles had to face not only

the tournament's No.1 seed, but a raucous crowd that was loud and boisterous a hour before

tip-off.

"It's one of those us-against-the-world games," said Lewis, who hit a 25-foot bank shot to

send the game into overtime in the semifinals against Rider. He finished with 22 points

against Siena. "You looked around and it was all gold and green."

In the end, perhaps it was all too much to overcome. That and Kenny Hasbrouck. Niagara

(26-8) was humbled by Hasbrouck, the league's player of the year and tournament's most

outstanding player, who shook off a terrible first half to score 17 of his 19 points in the

second half.

It was Hasbrouck who took the Saints on a back-breaking run after Niagara's Lewis tied the

game at 50-50 with a steal and dunk. The Eagles also relied too much on the three-point shot

to win, taking a whopping 37 and making just nine.

"You guys know I love the threeball," said Niagara coach Joe Mihalich, "but we took too

many quick ones."

Bilal Benn, who helped propel the Purple Eagles into the finals by putting the team on his

back in the second overtime against Rider, couldn't repeat the performance against Siena. Benn

finished the night 2 for 15 from the field for six points and five turnovers.

Lewis tied the game at 50 with a steal and a two-handed dunk. But Hasbrouck answered with

back-to-back baskets to put Siena ahead then followed an Edwin Ubiles miss with a putback.

After Benn made one of two free throws, Hasbrouck drained another trey, then got a steal that

led to a rebound basket by Ryan Rossiter.

And Siena wasn't finished. A steal led to another Rossiter basket before Hasbrouck hit a

runner. Hasbrouck got another steal and Ubiles finished the play with a basket. Benson

Egemonye finally stopped the run with a basket but the damage was done. Siena led, 67-56, and

a celebration was about to kick off.

Niagara managed to get the game within six points at 76-70 with 18 seconds left, but

Garrison missed a three-pointer and Ronald Moore grabbed the rebound and was fouled. He made

one free throw with 10 seconds left to ice it.

Siena set a school record for single-season wins at the Division I level. The Saints also

bounced back from a 100-85 loss at Niagara on Feb. 27.

Niagara's historic season, the subject of so many superlatives as the Purple Eagles mowed

down opponent after opponent, was shattered by a Siena team that reached out and ripped off

its own chunk of history. Now the only hope to extend the season is a trip to the NIT.

"It would be fun to play in New York and Madison Square Garden," Lewis said. "I heard

there's a lot of magic there."