Game Notes

Niagara will try for its first sweep of Saint Peter’s since the 2004-05 season when it travels to Jersey City, NJ on Thursday.  In its previous meeting with the Peahens, the Purple Eagles defeated the Peahens with a 61-52 victory in the Gallager Center on Jan. 9. 

This time around Niagara is going after its third win in five games against a Saint Peter’s team that has lost three-straight.  Sophomore Kayla Stroman will lead the way, having averaged 11.7 points per game ovet the last four contests.  Freshman Meghan McGuinness stepped up last weekend, averaging 9.5 points per game last weekend, including setting a career high with 13 points against Rider on Jan. 27.
 
Last Time Out...
The Niagara women’s basketball whittled down a double-digit deficit in the first half and kept Loyola on its toes into the second but faded down the stretch as the Greyhounds came away with a 68-48 victory on Jan. 29 at the Gallagher Center.
   
Loyola (8-13, 4-6 MAAC) began the second half extending its halftime lead to nine points but Niagara (7-15, 4-6 MAAC) took control of the inside as Chanel Johnson would drive to the basket and Lauren Gatto made a strong move inside for a layup to cut the deficit to 32-27.
   
Niagara was able to cut the deficit to 47-45, as Johnson and McGuinness hit back-to-back three-pointers and Lauren Gatto added a layup.  That was the closest the Purple Eagles would get as the Greyhounds were able to go on a run and pull away with the 68-48 victory.
 
On The Court: Saint Peter’s Peahens (2-18, 2-7 MAAC)  
Saint Peter’s  dropped its first 15 games of the season, including their first two MAAC games to Canisius and when it visited Niagara on Jan. 9.  Since then it has gone 2-3 with  wins against Rider and Loyola then going on a three game losing streak to Iona, Siena, and Manhattan.
   
The Peahens have been forced to play without top scorer Jynae Judson who went down with an injury.  She has averaged 14.1 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game in her 14 appearances (13 starts) this season. 
   
Senior guard Quiana Porter has stepped up with 7.5 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per game and has appeared in all 20 games this season.

Against the Peahens (Saint Peter’s leads 42-12)
The Peahens swept the  season series in the 2010-11 campaign but the Purple Eagles responded by taking the first game of the series this season.

The Jersey City Situation
The Purple Eagles are 1-1 in their last two games in Jersey City.  Niagara was bested in its annual trip last season but took its visit in 2009-10, defeating the Peahens 64-58.
  
Five-Hundred February
Niagara is .500 over the last 10 seasons (5-5) in its first game in the month of February.  Going back to 2001-02 the Purple Eagles have topped Canisius, Siena, Manhattan, Siena, and Marist in the opening game of the month.
 
Seeing Double
In the last two victories over Saint Peter’s, the Purple Eagles have had a freshman score over 10 points.  In the Feb. 15, 2010 win, then freshman Stroman put up 11 points and in the Jan. 9, 2012 victory McGuinness notched 13 points.
 
Hitting Their Stride
The Purple Eagles scored a season-high 69 points against Rider, eclipsing the previous high of 66 points in the Jan. 19 victory over rival Canisius.  In the game they shot 49 percent from the floor, including 55 percent in the second half.