NU Hits The Road

The Niagara Purple Eagles’ first road trip of the 2010-11 season will be to the state of Ohio for two games this weekend. First up for the Purple Eagles will be the Cleveland State Vikings on Friday at 7 p.m.

Niagara made a spirited start to the season in falling to the Illinois-Chicago Flames, 73-57, last Friday night at the Gallagher Center. Niagara was led by Kayla Stroman and Liz Flooks and also received strong support from freshman Katie Gattuso. Gattuso was one of four Purple Eagles to make her debut.

Niagara will take its attention to another Horizon League opponent, Cleveland State. The Purple and White will look to snap a three-game skid against the Vikings. The last NU win came on Nov. 12, 2006 when Michelle Manfredi, who is currently NU’s director of basketball operations, scored the game winner with 21 seconds left in overtime for an 84-83 win.

Ready for Action

s Niagara began its 37th season of women’s basketball with a 73-57 defeat versus UIC on Friday night. NU has dropped its last three season openers.

s Senior Liz Flooks needs 97 points to become the 21st member of NU’s 1,000-point club.

s In the season opener, sophomore guard Kayla Stroman led the team with 18 points, tied a career-high with nine rebounds and had six assists.

s Freshman forward Katie Gattuso was named MAAC Rookie of the Week. Gattuso, who started her first career game, scored seven points, had nine rebounds and one assist in 31 minutes of action. She was 3-for-4 at the free-throw line.

s Four freshmen made their debuts: Shy Britton, Katie Gattuso, Jazmyne Frost and Chanel Johnson

s Niagara is 13-28 all-time versus the Horizon League.

Welcome To The Club?

Forward Liz Flooks entered the season on the verge on joining the 1,000-point club. The White Plains, N.Y. native is 97 points away from scoring 1,000 points in her career.

Moving Up The Charts

Flooks is ranked in the top nine of four offensive categories. Flooks is shooting 80.1 percent from the free-throw line, which puts her seventh on the all-time list. Her 126 3-pointers place her eighth all-time and her 363 attempts are ninth on the list. Flooks’ .347 3-point percentage is ninth.

MAAC Recognition For Gattuso

Freshman Katie Gattuso made a grand entry to her Purple Eagle career. Gattuso was the only freshman to start and played 31 minutes. Gattuso finished with seven points, nine rebounds and one assist. Gattuso’s play earned her MAAC Rookie of the Week honors on Nov. 15.

Round Two

Sophomore guard Kayla Stroman is ready to continue her form which earned her MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. Stroman, who logged the third most minutes in the MAAC,  was third in the conference with a 1.3 assist-turnover ratio. Stroman’s 135 assists during the season ranked seventh all-time for a season in Niagara record book. 

On The Court

Cleveland State Vikings

The Vikings are off to their first 2-0 start since 1998-1999.  Cleveland State returns many key players from a successful 2009-2010 team which made the NCAA Tournamnet.  Junior guard Janelle Adams leads the Vikings with 18.0 ppg and 8.0 rpg, while senior guard Shawnita Garland leads the team with ten assists. 

Against the Vikings (CSU Leads 13-8)

Niagara has dropped their last three meetings against Cleveland State.  The Purple Eagles last defeated the Vikings in 2006 winning 84-83 in OT.         

Last Meeting - December 13, 2009

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara women’s basketball team fell to the Cleveland State Vikings, 70-59, on Sunday afternoon at the Gallagher Center.

Against the Horizon League

Niagara 13-28 versus the Horizon League. The Purple Eagles will play three Horizon League teams this season: Illinois-Chicago (Nov. 12), Cleveland State (Nov. 19) and Loyola (Ill.) (Dec. 5).