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First Place Purps
The Niagara Purple Eagles, who are off to their best MAAC start in 14 seasons, welcomes the Manhattan Jaspers to the ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 3 p.m.

Niagara (10-8, 6-1 MAAC) won its sixth straight conference game in convincing fashion against Siena on Thursday. The Purple Eagles set a new season-best in field goal percentage (54.2 percent) which is the highest since a win over Howard on Nov. 20, 2009. NU also tied season-highs in 3-point percentage (50.0) and assists (18) en route to its largest margin of victory against Siena in MAAC play and its largest win over a MAAC team since beating Saturday’s opponent, Manhattan, 88-64 on Dec. 4, 2009.

Niagara, which trails in the all-time series with Manhattan (5-12, 3-4 MAAC), has won 11 of the last 15 meetings. The Purple Eagles are 6-2 in the last eight meetings at the Gallagher Center against Manhattan.

Tipoff Tidbits
~ The Purple Eagles’ 6-1 start in the MAAC is their best start since 1998-99 (Joe Mihalich’ first season). NU started that campaign 8-1 in league play.
~ Niagara’s 7-1 home record is its best start since the 2004-05 season (8-0).
~ NU is 7-2 in its last nine games for its best run since the end of the 2010 season.
~ The six-game MAAC win streak is the longest since winning seven straight in Jan.-Feb. 2009.
~ NU’s conference win streak is the 15th longest conference win streak in the nation.
~ Antoine Mason is third in the conference and 36th in the nation in scoring with 18.6 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 25 straight games.
~ The Purple Eagles lead the MAAC in steals per game (8.2) and turnover margin (+4.39) while placing second in points per game (74.8) and in assist/turnover ratio (+1.1).

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/tickets. The Gallagher Center Ticket Office opens one hour prior to tip-off.

How To Tune In
Saturday’s game will be broadcast on Lockport Community Television. 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 WGR 550 AM. Internet listeners can listen free online through Purple Eagles All-Access.

MAAC Start Among Program’s Best
Niagara is off to one of its best start in conference play in its 24-year history as a MAAC member. The Purple Eagles’ 6-1 record is tied for their best start ever and is the first time they are 6-1 through seven games since the 1998-99 season

Home Cooking
NU is off to its best start at home since the 2004-05 season. NU is 7-1 through its first eight games which is tied for its second best start under Joe Mihalich.

Double Figures Scoring
Antoine Mason has scored in double figures through the first 18 games this season and in 25 straight games dating back to last season. Mason’s streak to open the season is the longest since backcourt teammate Juan’ya Green started last season scoring in double figures in the first 18 games. Mason’s 25 straight games streak is the longest since Charron Fisher completed the feat 53 straight times from 2006-08 (all 29 games in 2007-08). 

Approaching 1,000
Juan’ya Green and Antoine Mason are vastly approaching the 1,000-point scorer list. Green (885) and Mason (882) need to average around nine points per game for the rest of the season to reach the 1,000-point threeshold. There are 41 members in the 1,000-point club.

Road Tough
Three of Niagara’s five conference wins have come on the road. This is the first time Niagara has won three of its first four MAAC road games since the 2002-03 season (won four of first five).

Conference Win Streaks Around The Nation
NU’s six-game conference win streak is tied for 15th longest in the nation with Louisiana Tech and Denver. Montana leads the nation in regular season conference wins with 18 dating back to last season.

On The Court
Manhattan Jaspers (4-13, 2-4 MAAC)
Manhattan has lost three of its last four games heading into Saturday’s contest. Junior Rhamel Brown leads the team with 12.2 points per game and leads the MAAC with 2.7 blocks per game.

Against the Jaspers (Manhattan, 45-28)
Niagara trails in the all-time series, but has won 11 of the last 15 meetings. Majority of the wins have been big for the Purple Eagles during this streak.  The Purple Eagles had their five-game home winning streak against Manhattan snapped last season.

Last Meeting - January 29, 2012
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara men’s basketball team dropped an 87-70 contest to the Manhattan Jaspers in the National MAAC Game of the Week on ESPN3 on Sunday at the Gallagher Center.