---------------------------------------------------------------- BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- Two teams who lost in the championship game of their conference tournaments meet in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament as Niagara hosts Troy State at the University of Buffalo. Niagara (21-9) is making its first NIT appearance since 1993 after a late comeback fell short against Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game. The Purple Eagles fell, 62-61, after nearly erasing a 14-point deficit. Niagara is led by flashy junior forward Juan Mendez (20.3 ppg and 8.6 rpg), the MAAC's third-leading scorer. Junior guard Alvin Cruz is 13th nationally in assists (6.1). Troy State (24-6), which made the NCAA Tournament last season, won the Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season title but lost to Central Florida, 60-55, in the conference tournament. The Trojans led the nation in scoring (84.7 ppg) and 3-pointers per game (11.8). Senior point guard Greg Davis, the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year, tops the nation in assists, averaging 8.4 per contest.