Close Calls

The Niagara Purple Eagles will host the Fairfield Stags on Tuesday at 7 p.m. as they search for their first conference win of the season.

Niagara started the New Year and conference action with a gut wrenching 59-55 defeat to Saint Peter’s on Sunday. The series between the Purple Eagles and Stags have featured close finishes in recent encounters with three of the last five meetings have been decided by six points or less.

The Purple Eagles won the first meeting last season, 52-49, to snap their six-game losing streak to the Stags and their first win at Fairfield since 2003.

Ready for Action

s Niagara dropped its MAAC opener on Sunday versus Saint Peter’s. The Purple Eagles have lost their last six conference openers.

s After playing in 39 straight games to start her career, Stroman has missed the last four games to due injury.

s On Dec. 22, senior Liz Flooks passed Shaunna Ambrose for seventh all-time in 3-pointers at NU. Flooks and Ambrose are the only two Purple Eagles to be named MAAC Player of the Week in the last five seasons.

s On Dec. 9, Flooks became the 21st member of NU’s 1,000-point club when she made a free throw to complete a three-point play. 

s Flooks is 10th in the MAAC in scoring (11.5) and third in free throw percentage (83.9).

s The Purple Eagles are fourth in the MAAC in steals, averaging 9.8 per contest. Meghan Waterman is sixth in the MAAC with 2.0 per contest.

s The Purple Eagles’ 34 points at Eastern Michigan were their fewest in the modern-era since losing at Wisconsin-Green Bay, 62-38, on Jan. 13, 1988.

Last Time Out...

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara Purple Eagles were edged in their conference opener by the Saint Peter’s Peahens, 59-55, on Sunday at the Gallagher Center.

On The Court

Fairfield Stags (8-3, 1-0 MAAC)  

Fairfield enters Tuesday’s game winners of four straight after starting its conference season with a win at Canisius. Sophomore guard Katelyn Linney leads the team in scoring, averaging 12.9 ppg, while fellow backcourt teammate junior guard Desiree Pina leads the team with 2.5 apg. Junior forward Taryn Johnson is averaging in double-digit scoring (12.9 ppg) and leads the team with 8.9 rpg.

Against the Stags (Fairfield leads 28-17)

Niagara split last season meeting for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Niagara ran off five-straight wins from Feb. 2002-Jan. 2004, but has only won three since then: Jan. 14 2005 (77-72), Jan. 22, 2006 (63-59) and Jan. 16, 2010 (55-49).