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The Purple Eagles will try and build on the momentum from a big 66-60 win over Canisius as the team heads to Connecticut for a matinee game against the Fairfield Stags.
Niagara’s free throw percentage is back in the top-50 in the NCAA, moving up to 48th in the nation after hitting 11-of-12 chances from the charity stripe against Canisius. It will have to take advantage its chances from the foul line facing a Stags team that averages 14.1 personal fouls a game.
The Purple Eagles are up against a Fairfield team that ranks in the top-50 nationally in personal fouls per game (32nd), scoring defense (35th), and turnovers per game (9th).
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Last Time Out...
BUFFALO – The Niagara women’s basketball team (6-13, 3-4 MAAC) built an early lead and withstood a late rally by Canisius (8-10, 2-5 MAAC) to defeat its cross-town rival 66-60 and earn two points in the Battle of the Bridge at the Koessler Athletic Center on Thursday evening.
With the score tied at 10 halfway through the first half, freshman
Meghan McGuinness hit a three-pointer to give Niagara the lead for good. The freshman would send the Purple Eagles on a 11-2 run that shot Niagara ahead 21-12.
Canisius would come within two with seven seconds remaining in regulation, as Jen Morabito hit three free-throws to make it a 62-60 game. Forced to foul, Canisius sent both
Ali Morris and
Kelly Van Leeuwen to the free throw line, where they both hit their shots to ice the win for the Purple Eagles.
On The Court: Fairfield Stags (13-5,6-1 MAAC)
Fairfield is at the top of the MAAC, thanks to a recent streak where it has won nine of the last 11 games. Going back to December 4th, the Stags have defeated Rhode Island, Columbia, St. Francis (NY), La Salle, Iona, St. Peter’s, Manhattan, Siena, and Canisius. It’s only loss within the MAAC came against Marist.
The Stags are led by Taryn Johnson and Desiree Pina, who lead the team in points per game (ppg) and rebounds per game (rpg). Johnson is first with 12.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg while Pina is close behind with 11.8 ppg and 4.2 rpg. Alexis Vazquez, a sophomore, is athe team’s threee-point threat, ranking seventh in te NCAA in three-point field-goal percentage, hitting 55.1 percent of her looks from beyond the arc.
It’s a Fair Field
The Niagara Purple Eagles are .500 in their last two games at Alumni Hall. Niagara took the Jan. 16, 2010 matchup 52-47 as
Kayla Stroman had 10 points while, then-sophomore, Ali Morris scored nine points and added seven rebounds.
Hitting Their Stride
The Purple Eagles scored a season-high 66 points against rival Canisius, eclipsing the previous high of 64 points in the Dec. 10 victory over Binghamton.
Hitting Its Shots
Niagara it 44.1 percent of its shots from the floor against Canisius, including hitting 47.1 percent in the first half, and 91.7 percent from the free-throw line.
That’s Just The Half Of It
Niagara is undefeated in games where it takes a lead into halftime with five of its six wins coming when the team takes a lead into the break. The Purple Eagles are also a perfect 5-0 this season when leading with 10 left to play in regulation.
