Niagara Purple Eagles (1-10, 0-2 MAAC) vs. Iowa State (8-2, 0-0 Big 12)

Monday, December 29 at 8:30 P.M. ET

Hilton Coliseum

American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge

Live Stats: Cyclones.com

Live Video: Clone Zone

The Tip-Off

The Niagara women’s basketball team is in Ames, Iowa to participate in the American Family Insurance Cyclone Challenge. The Purple Eagles will face the host, the Iowa State Cyclones, on Monday, Dec. 29 at 8:30 p.m. e.t. and will either face the Lamar Cardinals or the North Dakota Fighting Sioux on Tuesday.

Start The Clock

-  This is Niagara’s first in-season tournament since the 2005-06 season.

-  Niagara played in the Pella Corporation Cyclone Classic hosted by Iowa State in Dec. 2001. The Purple Eagles lost 95-58 to the Cyclones in the team’s only meeting.

-  Niagara has never played Lamar or North Dakota.

-  Jennifer McNamee and Liz Flooks ranks fourth and fifth, respectively, in the MAAC in free throw percentage.

-  The Purple Eagles are second in the MAAC in rebounds per game (37.8).

Niagara In The Cyclone Challenge

The Purple Eagles have previously played in the tournament hosted by Iowa State. In the 2001-02 season, the Cyclones hosted the Pella Corporation Cyclone Classic featuring Niagara, Valparaiso and Eastern Kentucky. On Dec. 14, 2001, Niagara fell 95-58 to an Iowa State team that visited to the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament. 

Purple Eagles and In-Season Tournaments

This season’s Cyclone Challenge is Niagara’s first in-season tournament since the 2005-06 campaign. The Purple Eagles have had an extensive history of in-season tournaments, with most of them occurring during the winter holiday season. Niagara had played at least one tournament from 1975-2001 and compiled a record of 32-57.

First-Time Opponent

The Niagara Purple Eagles and the Binghamton Bears played each other for the first in their program history on Dec. 1. The schools, which are separated by 180 miles, tipped-off bright and early at 11 am. The 2008-09 schedule features four new opponents for the Purple Eagles; Michigan State, Binghamton, Lamar and North Dakota. Niagara fell to the Spartans in its season opener and will either play the Lamar Cardinals or North Dakota Fighting Sioux in the Cyclone Classic on Dec. 30.

On the Court

Iowa State Cyclones (8-2)

The Cyclones have won their last three games, which were all at home, before having a week off; on the season Iowa State is 4-0 at home. The Cyclones have been deadly behind the arc this season. They rank 10th in the nation with 8.1 3-pointers per game and tied a school single-game record of 18 3’s versus Detroit. Senior guard Heather Ezell leads the team with 10.8 points per game; junior guard Alison Lacey and senior forward Nicky Wieben are key contributors.

Against the Cyclones (ISU leads 1-0)

The lone game between the Purple Eagles and the Cyclones occurred on Dec. 14, 2001. Iowa State hosted the Pella Corporation Cyclone Classic and defeated Niagara 95-58 in the second game of the tournament

Last Meeting - December 14, 2001, Niagara 58 - Iowa State 95

Against the Big 12 Conference

Niagara has a brief history with the Big 12 Conference. Outside of playing Iowa State, Niagara has faced only one other Big 12 team. The Purple Eagles played Texas A&M on Nov. 24, 1991 as part of the Auburn Dial Classic. The Aggies were victorious 99-73.

Big 12 Opponents

Iowa State.............................................................................................................................. 0-1

Texas A&M............................................................................................................................ 0-1

TOTAL.................................................................................................................................... 0-2

On the Court

Lamar Cardinals (7-2)

Lamar’s seven wins have all come at home, while its two losses have come on the road against Big 12 teams (Texas Tech and Baylor). Three Cardinals average double-figures: Nikki Williams (13.9), Brittney Williams (11.1) and Darika Hill (10.2).

Against the Southland Conference

Niagara has a 100 percent record (1-0) against teams that make up the Southland Conference.  The Purple Eagles defeated the University of Texas-Arlington, 73-70, in the University of Miami (Fla.) Tournament on Dec. 12, 1989.

Southland Conference

Texas-Arlington.................................................................................................................... 1-0

TOTAL.................................................................. …………………………………………...1-0

On the Court

North Dakota Fighting Sioux (5-7)

The North Dakota Fighting Sioux are in their first season at the Division I level. Senior forward Kierah Kimbrough was named the Great West Conference Player of the Week on Dec. 22. Kimbrough leads the team with 19.8 points per game and averages 6.8 rebounds per game. Senior guard Danye Guinn is second on the team in points (12.2) and leads the team with 54 assists.