NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. -- The Niagara University women’s basketball team (6-2, 0-0) opens its 18th season of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play this weekend when it hosts Fairfield University (3-5, 0-0) Friday at 7 p.m. and Iona College (3-5, 0-0) Sunday at 2 p.m. in the legendary Taps Gallagher Center.

The game can be heard and seen live on Niagara University’s official sports website, www.PurpleEagles.com.

The Purple Eagles enter the game as winners in three of their last five games. They lost their last outing, falling at Buffalo, 70-59, on Dec. 2.

Fairfield snapped a two-game losing streak Dec. 3 when it beat North Dakota State, 76-56, at the East Carolina Lady Pirate Classic.

Iona has won once in its last five games. In their most recent outing, the Gaels lost, 51-35, at Elon Dec. 3.