Men's Basketball 11/17/2003 12:00:00 AM

Men's Basketball Opens 98th Season Saturday

Senior James Reaves and the Purple Eagles open their season Saturday at 7:05 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.

NIAGARA UN., N.Y. -- After waiting eight months for another season, the Niagara University Purple Eagles are ready to start their 98th campaign when they host Youngstown State Saturday, Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. in the Gallagher Center.

Saturday’s meeting with Youngstown State is the season opener for both teams.

The game, which will not be televised, tips at 7:05 p.m. and can be heard on WJJL (1440 AM).

The Purple Eagles, 17-12 last season, return all five starters, including preseason first-team All-MAAC selection Juan Mendez and second-team selections James Reaves and Tremmell Darden, and 10 letterwinners.

Saturday will be Niagara’s debut while Youngstown State defeated 320 All Stars, 96-83, in an exhibition game Nov. 10.

Season Openers

n The Purple Eagles are 40-21 since 1941-42 in season openers. They are 33-8 in home season openers.

n Niagara looks to snap a two-game losing streak in season openers. The Purple Eagles lost to Marshall, 92-90, last year and to George Mason, 86-71, in 2001-02.

n Niagara is 4-3 in season openers under head coach Joe Mihalich.

n The Purple Eagles are 1-2 in home openers the last five seasons and 2-0 when opening the season on the road.

n Niagara has been involved in seven season-opening games where 100 or more points were scored.

n The Purple Eagles have also won two season openers which stretched to double-overtime.

A Quick Glance at Niagara

- The Purple Eagles ended last season winning four of their last five games. The fifth and season-ending game was a double-overtime loss to Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference semifinals.

- Niagara returns all five starters, including preseason All-MAAC first-team selection Juan Mendez and second-team selections Tremmell Darden and James Reaves, and 10 letterwinners from last season’s 17-12 (12-6, T-3rd MAAC) squad

A Glance at Youngstown State

- Youngstown State, under fifth-year head coach John Robic, returns four starters and 10 letterwinners from last year’s 9-20 team.

- The Penguins top three scorers return in junior guard Doug Underwood (14.7), senior center Adam Baumann (11.6) and senior forward TeJay Anderson (8.7).

- Youngstown State will be breaking in a new point guard as Marlon Williamson graduated (8.1 ppg, 5.0 apg). Filling the role in the Penguins’ 96-83 exhibiton win was sophomore Jonathan Mends. The 5-foot-11 guard came off the bench to score nine points and dish out seven assists in 24 minutes of action.

- The four returning starters were all in double digits in scoring, including junior forward Brian Radakovich who had a team-high 16 points (3 of 4 three-point arc).

- Youngstown State was picked eighth out of nine teams in the Preseason Horizon League poll and Baumann was a second-team all-league selection.

Niagara vs. Youngstown State:

Series History and Factoids

n Niagara leads the all-time series, 6-5

n Saturday’s game marks the second-straight season the teams have met.

n The Purple Eagles are 15-12 all-time against teams from the Horizon League. Niagara’s last game against a Horizon member was a 66-58 victory over the Penguins Dec. 28 in Ohio.

n Niagara’s last victory -- March 8, 2003 -- came against Iona in the opening round of the MAAC Tournament.

n The Purple Eagles are 53-37 (.588) all-time against teams from Ohio, including 3-2 vs. Akron, 0-1 vs. Ashland, 0-1 vs. Cincinnati, 4-3 vs. Cleveland State, 7-5 vs. Dayton, 14-2 vs. John Carroll, 7-2 vs. Kent State, 1-0 vs. Kenyon, 1-1 vs. Marietta, 0-1 vs. Miami (Ohio), 1-0 vs. Oberlin, 2-2 vs. Ohio University, 6-4 vs. Toledo, 2-8 vs. Xavier and 6-5 mark against Youngstown State.

n Head coach Joe Mihalich is 2-0 all-time against Youngstown State.

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