BracketBuster Rematch
The Niagara Purple Eagles wrap up their home slate for the 2012 calendar year with a contest against the Vermont Catamounts on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
Niagara (4-6) is coming off of a 75-59 victory over Hartford on Wednesday to give head coach
Joe Mihalich is 250th career win. NU held Hartford to 59 points, which were the lowest it has allowed this season. The Purple Eagles also shot a season-high 50 percent (7-for-14) from behind the arc and swatted a season-high six shots.
Sunday’s game will be a rematch of last season’s Sears BracketBuster encounter which Vermont (6-3) won 92-70 to halt NU’s five-game winning streak in the BracketBuster series. The defending America East champion Catamounts have won their last two games and will be making their first trip to the Gallagher Center since Jan. 1989.
Tipoff Tidbits
~ Joe Mihalich won his 250th career game on Dec. 12, 2012. Mihalich, who is the MAAC career leader in wins, is one of 105 (30 percent) active coaches to have at least 250 wins.
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Antoine Mason leads the team and is third in the conference with 18.6 ppg.
~ Niagara leads the all-time series versus its former ECAC rival, 15-3, and has won six of the last seven meetings.
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Ameen Tanksley registered his fifth career double-double in the win against Hartford. He tied a season-high with 16 points and tied a career-best with 12 rebounds
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Juan'ya Green has dished out at least four assists in nine of the 10 games this season.
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Malcolm Lemmons scored a career-high 17 points in last season’s meeting with Vermont. Lemmons netted a season-best 11 points in the win versus Hartford.
Get Your Tickets
Tickets for the game are still available. Fans can guarantee their seats by purchasing tickets in advance with no additional service fees by calling the Ticket Office at (716) 286-8499. Some tickets are still available in the chairback seats section. Tickets can also be purchased online at
www.PurpleEagles.com. The Gallagher Center Ticket Office opens one hour prior to tip-off.
How To Tune In
Sunday’s game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. 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.
Mihalich Notches 250th Win
Joe Mihalich won his 250th career win when the Purple Eagles defeated Hartford, 75-59, on Dec. 12. Mihalich, who is in his 15th season as head coach, is the all-time winningest head coach in MAAC history. Out of the 347 Division I programs, only 30 percent (105) of the current head coaches have at least 250 wins.
AMEEN Business
Sophomore guard Ameen Tanksley is the only Purple Eagle to record a double-double this season. Tanksley registered a double-double at Iona and versus Hartford. Tanksley is the active career leader in doubles-doubles with five.
Against 2012 NCAA Tourney Teams
NU will play six teams that played in last season’s NCAA Tournament: New Mexico State, St. Bonaventure, Iona (2x), Loyola (2x), Vermont and Notre Dame. NU is 2-2 so far against these teams and will play Vermont and Notre Dame in consecutive games in December.
On The Court
Vermont Catamounts (6-3, 0-0 AE)
Vermont comes to Monteeagle Ridge riding a two-game winning streak. The Catamounts are 4-2 on the road this season. Luke Apfeld leads the team in scoring with 10.6 ppg, while Brian Voelkel leads the team with 7.1 rpg and 31 assists.
Against the Catamounts (Niagara leads 15-3)
Niagara and Vermont met for the first time in 23 years last season as part of the Sears BracketBuster series. The Catamounts came away with a 92-70 win in Burlington, Vt. NU leads the all-time series, 15-3, and has won six of the last seven meetings.
Last Meeting - February 18, 2012
Niagara 70, Vermont 92
BURLINGTON, Vt. – The Niagara men’s basketball team had its five-game Sears Bracketbusters and three-game win streak come to a halt at the America East leaders Vermont Catamounts, 92-70, on Saturday.
