HAMDEN, Conn. (Interstat) — In a game defined more by grit than grace, Grant Randall’s 3-pointer with three seconds remaining lifted Quinnipiac to a 56-55 victory over Niagara in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at TD Bank Sports Center.

The final sequence encapsulated a contest where both teams struggled mightily to score. With the game tied at 53 and under 30 seconds to play, Niagara’s Justin Hawkins saw his jump shot blocked by Quinnipiac’s Keith McKnight. The Bobcats’ Amarri Monroe collected the loose ball and, after a timeout, found Randall open on the left wing. The 6-foot-9 forward from Queens, New York, drained the clutch three, silencing a late Niagara rally.

The Purple Eagles had one final chance, but Reggie Prudhomme’s desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer missed, allowing Quinnipiac to escape before a crowd of 1,073.

The dramatic finish belied a game of profound offensive frustration. Quinnipiac, which led by as many as 14 points in the first half, shot a frigid 30% from the field, making just 18 of 60 attempts. Niagara was scarcely better at 40.8% on 20-of-49 shooting. The teams combined for 23 turnovers and only 16 assists.

The Bobcats built their early advantage on the strength of a 36-point first half, fueled by Monroe’s all-around play and a 12-point edge in points off turnovers. Niagara, meanwhile, managed only 24 points before the break, appearing overwhelmed by Quinnipiac’s physicality.

The second half, however, told a completely different story. The Purple Eagles, now 6-18 overall, locked down defensively. Quinnipiac’s offense ground to a halt, scoring just 20 points after halftime and missing 15 of its final 18 field goal attempts. Niagara chipped away, using a 12-2 run midway through the period to close the gap.

The surge was led by forward Will Shortt of Sydney, Australia, who posted a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds, and key bench contributions from Drew Larson of Fort Collins, Colorado, who scored all eight of his points in the second half. A 3-pointer by Landon Williams of Farmington Hills, Michigan, with 57 seconds left tied the game at 53, setting the stage for Randall’s heroics.

Monroe was the linchpin for Quinnipiac, now 17-9, tallying 15 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and a block. Randall finished with 10 points and eight rebounds, while McKnight of Teaneck, New Jersey, added 11 points and seven boards. For Niagara, Williams scored 10 points and Hawkins of Willingboro, New Jersey, added nine.

The victory allowed Quinnipiac to avoid a catastrophic loss to a team ranked 345th out of 362 in Interstat’s ELO ratings, a system that had given the Bobcats a 94.5% probability to win. Quinnipiac also failed to cover the 13-point pregame spread, and the combined 111 points fell far under the over/under line of 137, highlighting the defensive struggle.

The game’s most important part was unquestionably the final minute, where Quinnipiac’s poise, embodied by Monroe’s playmaking and Randall’s shot-making, narrowly overcame a Niagara team that had executed a near-perfect defensive half to claw back from a double-digit deficit. It was a win that did little to soothe Quinnipiac’s offensive concerns but preserved its position in the MAAC standings, while Niagara was left with another heartbreaking result in a season full of them.