Niagara Purple Eagles (1-7, 0-2 MAAC) vs. Syracuse Orange (7-2, 0-0 Big East)

Sunday, December 14 at 1:00 P.M. ET

Carrier Dome

The Tip-Off

Niagara Purple Eagles are back on the road and in non-conference play for this Sunday’s game versus Big East foe, the Syracuse Orange. The Purple Eagles have won the last two meetings in this series.

Start The Clock

-  Niagara trails 6-4 in the all-time series versus Syracuse.

-  Niagara has won the last two meetings against the Orange.

-  The Purple Eagles are 6-21 against current Big East teams.

-  Liz Flooks became the third player this season to have a double-double (Siena 12/7).

-  Flooks had a career-high 26 points, nine free throws and eight field goals against Siena.

-  Niagara held defending MAAC champion, Marist, to a season-low field goal and 3-point percentage

-  The Dec. 17 game versus St. Bonaventure is the first-ever advanced sell out in NU women’s hoops history.

On the Court

Syracuse Orange (7-2)

The Orange is in the midst of a four-game homestand and is unbeaten at home (4-0) on the season. Syracuse is on a three-game winning streak after losing in the championship game of the Great Alaska Shootout to the host Alaska-Anchorage. Three Orange averaged double-figures a game: senior guard Chandrea Jones, sophomore guard Erica Morrow and junior forward Juanita Ward.

Against the Orange (SU leads 6-4)

Niagara currently trails the Orange in the all-time series that began on Feb. 14, 1979.  The Purple Eagles won that meeting and enters Sunday’s game with a two-game winning streak against Syracuse. Niagara defeated Syracuse 61-45 on Nov. 23, 2005 and beat the ‘Cuse 59-54 on Nov. 26, 2006 in the Carrier Dome. Three current players saw playing time in the last meeting between the schools; Rachele Folino, Erika Harris and Jennifer McNamee. The two teams played each other four times in a span of 12 months, from Feb. 1979 to Feb. 1980, but there was a  22-year break in the series from 1982 to 2004. 

Last Meeting - November 26, 2006, Niagara 59-Syracuse 54

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Erika Harris came off the bench to score a season-high 14 points and helped Niagara beat Syracuse University, 59-54, at the Carrier Dome.

Harris scored 12 of her points in the second half, and also finished with a then career-high eight rebounds, five assists and three steals. Jennifer McNamee also came off the bench to collect 12 points and four assists and Sarah Wilson had nine points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

Against the Big East

Niagara is 6-21 all-time against current Big East teams. The Big East team the Purple and White have faced the most is the Syracuse Orange (10 times) and games against other Big East foes have been few and far between. Niagara has only played eight games against the Big East in this decade, with three games coming versus Syracuse. In the last Big East game, the Purple Eagles defeated St. John’s, 63-46, on Nov. 29, 2006

Big East Opponents

Connecticut........................................................................................................................... 0-1

DePaul................................................................................................................................... 0-2

Georgetown........................................................................................................................... 0-1

Louisville................................................................................................................................ 0-1

Pitt........................................................................................................................................... 0-3

Rutgers.................................................................................................................................. 0-3

Seton Hall.............................................................................................................................. 0-1

St. John’s............................................................................................................................... 2-1

South Florida......................................................................................................................... 0-1

Syracuse................................................................................................................................ 4-6

Villanova................................................................................................................................. 0-1

TOTAL.................................................................................................................................. 6-21

Getting Defensive

In their MAAC opener on Dec. 5, the Purple Eagles held the defending MAAC Champion Marist to a season-low 28.6 field goal percentage and 16.7 3-point percentage. The feat was remarkable considering that the Red Foxes had played at No. 4 Oklahoma earlier in the season and Marist shot 35.8 percent from the field and 28.6 from 3’s.