The call never came.

The season is over for Niagara.

The college career is over for Niagara star Charron Fisher.

The defending MAAC champions lost, as the No. 3 seed, to No. 6 Marist in the Purple Eagles' first bid to get to the 20-win mark. Now, there will be no second bid.

Niagara coach Joe Mihalich knew the NIT was out of the question, leaving what Mihalich called "the other tournament," the new CBI, as the only hope.

The Purple Eagles weren't even practicing, and then the official word came that Rider was going to the CBI and Niagara was going on with the future.

Mihalich was out recruiting when the selections were made Sunday night, and apparently past midnight when it came to the CBI, reportedly having trouble filling its first field.

The Eagles would have been on the road if they had made it into the new tournament.

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