Sophomore Chantelle Wilson

After waiting eight months for another season, the Niagara University Purple Eagles are ready to start their 31st campaign when they play in-state rival Syracuse on Friday at 7 p.m. in Manley Field House.

Friday’s meeting with Syracuse is the season opener for both teams after the Orange went 1-0 during its exhibition schedule. 

Setting the Scene

n Niagara opens its season on the road for the second-straight year. The Purple Eagles lost at Maryland, 82-74, last season.

n Syracuse won on the road last year, beating Binghamton, 66-59.

n The last time the Purple Eagles played in Manley Field House was 1981.

For Openers

nNiagara is 14-16 all-time in season openers. The Purple Eagles look to snap a four-game losing streak in openers Friday.

n Last year, the Purple Eagles lost 82-74 at Maryland.

n Niagara head coach Bill Agronin has a 3-7 record in season openers.

n On the road, Niagara has 3-9 record since 1984-85  in season openers on the road. The last time the Purple Eagles won a season-opening road game was 1999 when they beat in-state rival Buffalo, 66-61 on Nov. 20.

n The most points Niagara has scored in a season opening game was 100 points. The Purple Eagles topped Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, 100-61, on Nov. 22, 1981.

A Quick Glance at Niagara

n Head coach Bill Agronin has one starter back from last year’s 18-10 team. Point guard Eva Cunningham is also the Purple Eagles’ only senior.

n The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Preseason Player of the Year, Cunningham was second in scoring (15.1) and was Niagara’s leading playmaker, dishing out a team-high 4.5 assists an outing. She also is made 2.2 steals per game and shot 38.1 percent from three-point range.

n Six players on the squad are in their first collegiate season and the other seven returners averaged 4.5 minutes on the court-or-less last season. Niagara lost four starters, 64.4 percent of its scoring and 69 percent of its rebounding.

n Niagara was picked to finish eighth in the MAAC ahead of Iona and Manahttan.        

A Glance at Syracuse

n     Syracuse, under second-year head coach Keith Cieplicki, returns four starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s 6-21 team.

n     The Orange return their second-, third- and fourth-leading scorers from a year ago in sophomore Lauren Kohn (8.1), Chineze Nwagbo (7.9) and Rochelle Coleman (7.6).

n     Syracuse will be breaking in a new point guard as Julie McBride graduated (16.3 ppg, 4.2 apg). Filling the role in the Orange’s 72-63 exhibiton win over Syracuse AAU was Jessica Richter. The 5-foot-10 guard score five points and dished out five assists in 30 minutes of action.

n     A pair of freshmen forwards led Syracuse offensively. Vaida Sipaviciute came off the bench for a double-double with 16 points and 17 rebounds. Starting at center, rookie Sara Antolick scored 10 points.

n     Syracuse was picked ninth out of 12 teams in the Preseason Big East poll.

Niagara vs. Syracuse: Series History and Factoids

n The game will be the eighth meeting between the schools with Syracuse holding a 5-2 series lead.

n Niagara will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak to Syracuse. The Purple Eagles last beat the Orange in 1980, 67-52, in the Niagara Falls Convention Center.

n The Purple Eagles are 0-2 vs. the Orange in Syracuse.

n The last Big East team Niagara played was  Georgetown in 2002.