NU Opens MAAC Play

Niagara will ring in the New Year with a MAAC road opener at the Siena Saints on Sunday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. The Niagara-Siena series is one of the longest rivalries in the MAAC.

Sunday’s game will be the 60th all-time meeting between the schools, which is the second most meetings against a MAAC foe for Niagara, behind Canisius’ 73 meetings. The Purple Eagles will look to continue the momentum it had last month and will look to ride the hot shooting hand of Liz Flooks, who was named MAAC Player of the Week on Dec. 21.

Ready for Action

s The Purple Eagles wrapped up its non-conference schedule with an impressive 71-60 win over the Akron Zips on Dec. 20 at the Gallagher Center.

s NU went 3-2 in December to record its first winning month since Nov. 2007.

s Liz Flooks was named MAAC Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 27 points on 11-for-14 shooting and 5-for-6 from behind the arc in the win over Akron; the 11 field goals and five 3-pointers were also career-highs.

s Niagara’s 72.8 free throw percentage is fourth in the MAAC and 65th in the nation.

s The Purple Eagles are third in the MAAC in points per game (62.5), second in 3-point field goal percentage (34.9) and fourth in free throw percentage (72.8).

s Liz Flooks (15.0) and Jennifer McNamee (14.2) are the top two scorers on the team and rank in the top 10 in the conference. McNamee is second in the MAAC with 2.6 3-point field goals and in free throw percentage at 88.5 percent, while Flooks is first in the conference and 11th in the nation with a 51.1 3-point field goal percentage.

s McNamee is 34 points away from becoming the 20th member of the 1,000 points club. She will join current assistant coach Katie Murphy (1,060), among others.

s Niagara is 9-11 in MAAC openers and is 3-6 in road MAAC openers.

s The Purple Eagles trail the Saints in the all-time series, 38-21.

Flooks Claims MAAC POW

Niagara had a player win the MAAC Player of the Week award for the first time in three seasons, thanks to a career-high day by junior forward Liz Flooks. Flooks dropped career-highs in points (27), field goals made (11) and 3-pointers (5) in Niagara’s 71-60 win over Akron on Dec. 20 in NU’s lone game of the week. The next day, the MAAC honored Flooks by naming her MAAC Player of the Week. Flooks became the first Purple Eagles to win the MAC POW award since Shaunna Ambrose earned her third MAC POW of the season on Feb. 26, 2007.

A December to Remember

When this season concludes, Niagara may look at this past December on how the team’s confidence improved. The Purple Eagles recorded a 3-2 record with victories over Bucknell, Binghamton and Akron for its first winning month since Nov. 2006, when the Purple Eagles went 6-1.

Starting the New Year Right

Niagara would like to start the New Year and new decade with a winning start. The Purple Eagles went 4-6 in their first game of the new year in the 2000s (2000-09). NU won three-straight from 2003-05, but has lost the last four games to start the New Year.

In MAAC Openers

The Purple Eagles are 9-11 in MAAC openers since joining the conference in 1989. Niagara has dropped their last four openers after winning three-straight from 2002-2004. Niagara is 3-6 in MAAC openers on the road.

On the Court

Siena (2-7)

Siena has won two of its last three games heading into its MAAC opener against the Purple Eagles. The Saints have gone 0-2 versus opponents NU has played this season (Lost to Eastern Michigan and Binghamton). Three players are averaging in double-figures -Allie Lindemann (11.8), Serena Moore (10.7) and Sarah Fullmer (10.1).

Against the Saints (Saints lead 38-21)

Siena holds a 38-21 all-time advantage over Niagara since the two teams began play in 1979. The Purple Eagles’s best run in the series was a string of three-straight wins from Jan. 1999 to Feb. 2000. The Saints enter Sunday’s game boasting a five-game winning streak in the series.

Last Meeting - January 11, 2009

Niagara 59, Siena 81

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Ali Morris led Niagara with a then-career and game-high 18 points, but the Purple and White could not contain the hot shooting Siena Saints as they fell 81-59 on Sunday afternoon at Alumni Recreation Center.

Long Distance Call

The Purple Eagles love the long ball and have been dialing up long distance shots all season. Two players, in particular, have been very successful behind the arc. Liz Flooks set a career-high with five 3-pointers on six attempts versus Akron. Her 51.1 percentage is a MAAC best and places her 11th in the nation. Jennifer McNamee ranks second in the MAAC with 2.6 3-pointers.

Freebies

Niagara is making the most of its chances at the free throw line this season. NU was one of the better free throw shooting teams last season and that has rolled over to this season’s team. 18 percent of NU scoring is coming from the line. The team went a perfect 11-for-11 at the line at UIC and eight players are shooting over 71 percent on the season. The team’s average of 72.8 percent is fourth in the MAAC and 65th out of 332 teams, nationally.