s Niagara and Fairfield have split the last 10 meetings. The Purple Eagles have won the last two meetings at the Gallagher Center.

s Anthony Nelson entered this weekend leading the nation with 3.4 steals per game. Nelson is on pace to shatter the school record in steals per game in a season, which was set by former backcourt teammate Tyrone Lewis during the 2008-09 season (2.6 spg).

s Eric Williams had his best game as a Purple Eagle versus Iona. Williams set career-highs with 18 points and nine rebounds, while playing a career-high 36 minutes.

s Marvin Jordan is fourth in the conference and leads all MAAC freshmen with 43 3-pointers (2.2 per game).

s Nelson became the 41st member of the 1,000-point club when he scored 20 points at Saint Peter’s. Nelson moved into 38th place during the Iona game on Jan. 21. 

s Nelson played the entire 40 minutes for the third straight game against Fairfield. It was the five time this season he has played the entire game (Marist, Central Connecticut, Saint Peter’s, Iona).

s Kashief Edwards missed his third straight game of the season on Jan. 21 versus Iona. Edwards had started in every game this season.

How To Tune In        

Sunday’s game will be televised live on Time Warner Cable NU fans can also listen live to all the action this season from “The Voice of the Purple Eagles” Todd Callen. The matchup can be heard live on WWKB 1520 AM. Internet listeners can listen free through Yahoo! Sports live web-streaming.

Moving Up The Charts

Nelson became the 41st member of the 1,000-point club on Jan. 15. The Plainfield, N.J. native accomplished the feat in front of family and friends at Saint Peter’s.

The point guard is also closing in on Alvin Cruz’s all-time assists record. Nelson currently has 576 assists and needs 54 to tie Cruz’s 630 assists.

Nelson is third in steals with 188 and needs 62 steals to tie former teammate Tyrone Lewis for first.

Big E’s Big Game

Junior forward Eric Williams had a breakout game versus Iona on Jan. 21. The Hope, B.C. native had career-highs in points (18), field goals (7), free throws (4) and rebounds (9). Williams scored a career-high 18 points, surpassing his previous career-high of 15 points set versus Iona last season.

All-Conference Numbers For Ant

Senior Anthony Nelson is putting up first team all-conference numbers since missing the first three games of the season due to injury. Nelson, who has scored at 24 points three times this season and set a career-high 31 points at Detroit, is third in the MAAC in scoring. Nelson leads the conference in steals per game, second in minutes per game and third in assists per game.

On The Court

Fairfield Stags (14-4, 7-1 MAAC)

Fairfield is 5-1 since the last meeting with the Purple Eagles. The Stags are the conference’s leader in scoring defense (55.1), scoring margin (+9.2) and rebounding margin (+3.8). Sophomore Derek Needham is the only player averaging in double-figure scoring with 14.1 ppg and leads the team with 5.1 spg.

Against the Stags (Niagara leads 35-23)

Niagara leads the series with Fairfield, 35-23, in the series which began during the 1965-66 season. The teams have split the last 10 meetings. Niagara has lost three straight, but the Purple Eagles have claimed the last two meetings at the Gallagher Center.

Last Meeting - January 3, 2011

Niagara 48, Fairfield 70

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - In a rematch of last season’s MAAC Tournament semifinals, the Niagara men’s basketball team was defeated by the Fairfield Stags, 70-48, on Monday at the Arena at Harbor Yard.