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The Niagara Purple Eagles conclude play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic subregional against the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Niagara (1-3) remains in search of its first win in the three-day subregional. The Purple Eagles' erased multiple double-digit deficits in the first two games against USC Upstate and Western Carolina, only to fall short in the end. Niagara slashed a 26-point second half deficit to four point with 1:45 remaining against Upstate and cut a 16-point lead by WCU to three points with seven minutes left.
NU's second half rallies were in part due to its defensive pressure and taking care of the ball. The Purple Eagles combined for a plus-8 turnover margin in the second half of the two games and finished with a plus-9 scoring margin.
Tipoff Tidbits
• Antoine Mason LEADS the nation in scoring with 31.3 points per contest and is SIXTH in the nation in percentage of possible minutes played.
• Antoine Mason was named MAAC Player of the Week on Nov. 18 for the first time in his career after netting 25 points on 8-for-14 shooting from the field and 7-for-11 at the free-throw line in the win over Buffalo. Mason was also named College Sports Madness MAAC Player of the Week.
• Marvin Jordan became the 44th member of Niagara's 1,000-point club on Nov. 21 in Niagara's game versus USC Upstate. Jordan made his 219th career 3-pointer to reach 1,000 points. Jordan moved into sole possession of second place in career 3-pointers against Western Carolina.
• Niagara had four Purple Eagles in double-digit scoring vs. Western Carolina for the first time since Feb. 10, 2013 (Canisius). Three Purple Eagles set career-highs in the game: Antoine Mason (35), Ramone Snowden (16) and Rayvon Harris (11).
Mason's Hot Start To The Season
• Antoine Mason's start to the season ranks him among the top in the nation in a few categories
• Mason is averaging 31.3 points per game through the first four games of the season, including three 30-point games.
• His 31.3 points per game has him on pace to finish in the top-3 in Niagara's single-season scoring average with Naismith Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy.
• Mason has scored at least 20 points in his last seven games, dating back to last season.
• He has played in 96.9 percent of minutes played which is sixth in the nation.
Jordan Joins 1,000-Point Club
• Senior Marvin Jordan became the 44th member of the 1,000-Point Club at Niagara University on Nov. 21.
• Jordan drained a 3-pointer during Niagara's rally against USC Upstate for his 1,000th career point
• Jordan joins backcourt teammate Antoine Mason as the only current players with 1,000 points.
Jordan Climbing NU's 3-Pointers Chart
• Marvin Jordan is second at Niagara in career 3-pointers surpassing Lorenzo Miles ('07) on Nov. 22.
• Jordan needs 68 triples to tie Tyrone Lewis ('10) for first.
• Jordan holds the Niagara freshman (77) and sophomore (83) single-season 3-point records.
Getting To The Line…And Making It Count
• The Purple Eagles are 14th in the nation in team free throw rate (65.5) according to KenPom.com. The free throw rate captures a team's ability to get to the free-throw line: free throw attempts divided by field goal attempts.
• Ramone Snowden has scored 22 of his 42 points from the charity stripe, including sinking a career-high nine free throws on 10 attempts against Buffalo.
• Snowden ranks TENTH in the nation with a 138.1 free throw rate (100*FTA/FGA), according to KenPom.com. The free throw rate measures a player's ability to get the line relative to how often he attempts to score.
• 32.6 percent of Niagara points are from the free-throw line, which is EIGHTH the nation.
On The Court
Kent State Golden Flashes (5-1, 0-0 MAC)
• Kent State is 5-1 this season with its lone defeat coming to Seton Hall by two points.
• Four players are averaging double figures scoring, led by Derek Jackson (12.3 ppg).
• The Golden Flashes have a +11.5 scoring margin.
Against The Golden Flashes (Niagara leads, 7-2)
• Niagara leads the all-time series, 7-2, in a series that started during the 1955-56 season.
• Saturday will be the first meeting in 20 years.
Last Meeting - December 7, 1993
Niagara 54, Kent State 70
Against The Mid-American Conference
• The Purple Eagles are 89-55 against the MAC, with the bulk of those wins coming against Big 4 rival Buffalo (59).
• The nine meetings against Kent State are tied with Bowling Green for third most played against.
In-Season Classics
• Niagara is 14-17 participating in classics since the 2006-07 season.
• NU won the 2008 Philly Hoop Classic and the 2007 Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara, Calif.
• The Purple Eagles have faced teams like Auburn, Oregon State, Villanova and Missouri during this stretch.
• NU hosted its first-ever in-season classic at the Gallagher Center last season.
About The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
• The Coaches vs. Cancer Classic (cvcclassic.com) is one of the most prestigious early-season college basketball tournaments. Twelve schools will compete in the event, with four of those teams serving as regional hosts. Regional round action takes place November 9-18, 2013 with the four hosts advancing to the championship rounds on November 22-23, 2013 at the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The remainder of the field will participate in a round-robin series at one of two sub host sites.
• The Coaches vs. Cancer program (www.coachesvscancer.org) is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society (cancer.org) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC.org) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams, and local communities to make a difference in the fight against cancer.
