The Niagara Purple Eagles continue their MAAC three-game road trip to start 2012 with a matchup against first-place Iona on Friday at 9 p.m on ESPNU, the 24-hour college sports network.
Niagara (6-9, 1-2 MAAC) collected its first conference win of the season by defeating the Loyola Greyhounds, 66-61, on Monday. The Purple Eagles relied heavily on the freshman class who scored 58 of the 66 points scored. Niagara was led by freshman guard
Juan'ya Green who continued his freshman scoring record pace by leading the team in scoring with 18 points for the 10th time this season.
The Purple Eagles, who have won three of the last five trips to Iona (11-3, 3-0 MAAC), will look to snap their three-game skid in the series.
Ready for Action
~ Juan’ya Green, the nation’s top scoring freshman, is 15th nationally in scoring with 20 points per game.
~ Green is eighth all-time in freshman scoring history at Niagara. He is 54 points away from passing Tyrone Lewis (‘10) for second place and needs 168 points to pass Garry Jordan (‘81) for most points by a freshman.
~ Niagara used a 9-0 run to beat Loyola, 66-61, on Monday to avoid consecutive 0-3 conference starts. The Purple Eagles have won 10 of the last 11 meetings with the Greyhounds and five straight at Loyola.
~ Green currently leads the MAAC in scoring, second in minutes played per game (37.1) and steals per game (1.8) and fourth in assists per game (3.8).
~ Queens, N.Y. native
Antoine Mason will play his first collegiate game in the New York metropolitan area. Mason missed Niagara’s trips to New York City last season due to injury.
~ Niagara is second in the conference in scoring (70.7) and turnover margin (+2.1).
~ The freshman/sophomore class account for 88 percent of the scoring.
How To Tune In
Friday’s game can be watched on ESPNU. NU fans can listen live to all the action from “The Voice of the Purple Eagles” Todd Callen. The matchup can be heard live on WWKB 1520 AM. Internet listeners can listen free online through Purple Eagles All-Access.
Green Amongst Nation’s Top Scorers
Juan’ya Green is averaging 20 points per game to rank 15th in the nation in scoring and is first amongst freshmen.
Green Eyeing Freshman Records
Juan’ya Green is on pace to set the Niagara freshman scoring record which is currently held by Garry Jordan who scored 467 points during the 1977-78 season. Green has 300 points on the season and needs to average at least 10 points per game for the rest of the season. Green needs 83 field goals to break Jordan’s freshman field goals record (185).
Clutch At Loyola
Niagara held Loyola scoreless in the final 3:24 while going on a 9-0 run to upend the Greyhounds, 66-61, for its first MAAC win on Jan. 2. The freshman class scored 58 of NU’s 66 points, led by Juan’ya Green’s 18 points and was 4-for-4 at the free-throw line in the final minute.
On The Court
Iona Gaels (11-3, 3-0 MAAC)
Iona is fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 85.8 points per game. Mike Glover is third in the MAAC in scoring (18.1) and Scott Machado leads the nation with 10.3 apg. The Gaels have won five of the last seven games since the last
meeting with Niagara.
Against the Gaels (Iona, 36-33)
Niagara and Iona have split the last 12 meetings dating back to Niagara’s 79-58 win on Dec. 19, 2006
Last Meeting - December 4, 2011
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. - The Niagara men’s basketball team suffered its second conference defeat on Sunday to preseason favorite Iona, 98-62.
