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The MAAC-leading Niagara Purple Eagles step back on to the road for a Thursday night matchup against the Rider Broncs at 7:30 p.m.

Niagara (14-9, 10-2 MAAC) had its program-best 10-game conference win end on a buzzer-beating in double overtime versus Loyola in its previous game. The Purple Eagles still sit in first place and holds a two-game lead with six conference games remaining.

The Purple Eagles are 9-2 since the start of 2013 for their best start to a new year since 1993. The sophomore trio of Antoine Mason,  Juan'ya Green and Ameen Tanksley are carrying the load during the stretch, accounting for 63 percent of the scoring and 70 percent of the assists.

Niagara and Rider (12-12, 7-5 MAAC) split two nail-biters last season, with both games coming down to the final shot. The winner of each game (both home teams) erased 17 points second half deficits for the win to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. 

Tipoff Tidbits
~ The Purple Eagles set a program-best MAAC stat with a 10-1 record, breaking the record set during was set during the 1998-99 season. Their 10-2 record is tied with the 1992-93 team for best MAAC start through 12 games.
~ Antoine Mason is second in the conference and 31st in the nation in scoring with 18.9 points per game. He has scored in double figures in 30 straight games, which is the second longest active streak in the nation.
~ In the last trip at Rider, Marvin Jordan finished with a career-high eight 3-pointers which were the second most in the MAAC that season and are tied for second most in program history.  Jordan also tied the Alumni Gym record in 3-pointers which was set in 1993 by Long Island’s Joe Griffin.
~ The Purple Eagles are 5-1 on the road in MAAC games for the first-time ever.
~ Niagara is one of eight teams in the nation to have at least 10 conference wins.
~ Niagara, which leads the series 20-15, has lost the last five meetings at Rider.

How To Tune In
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.

MAAC Start Sets Program Record
Niagara is off to its best start in conference play in its 24-year history as a MAAC member. The Purple Eagles’ 10-1 start was their ever, breaking the record set during the 1998-99 season.

Home Cooking
NU is off to its best starts at home since the 2004-05 season. NU is 9-2 through its first 11 games which is tied for its third best start under Joe Mihalich.

Double Figures Scoring
Antoine Mason has scored in double figures through the first 23 games this season and in 30 straight games dating back to last season. Mason’s streak to open the season surpassed backcourt teammate Juan’ya Green start to last season,  when he scored in double figures in the first 18 games. Mason’s 30 straight games streak is the longest by a Purple Eagle since Charron Fisher completed the feat 53 straight times from 2006-08 (all 29 games in 2007-08). 

Mason’s double figures streak is the second longest active streak in the nation behind South Dakota State’s Nate Wolters (60).

Road Tough
Five of Niagara’s 10 conference wins have come on the road. This is the first time Niagara has won five of its first six MAAC road games.
The last NU has won five of six MAAC games on the road was during the 2006-07 season.

Double-Digit Conference Wins
Niagara is one of eight teams to have at least 10 wins this season. The Purple Eagles, who have double-digit MAAC wins for the first time since the 2008-09 season, are tied for the second most conference wins in the nation.

On The Court
Rider Broncs (12-12/7-5 MAAC)
Rider broke its three-game skid with a win over Marist in its last game. The Broncs are in fifth place in the conference standings. Rider has three players in double figures: Anthony Myles (11.8), Jonathon Thompson (11.5) and Daniel Stewart (11.3).

Against the Broncs (Niagara, 20-15)
Niagara leads the all-time series, 20-15. The Purple Eagles snapped their five-game losing skid in the series in the last meeting. Five of the last eight games have come down to the final possesion, including both meetings last season. Niagara hasn’t won at Rider since the 2006-07 season. 

Last Meeting - February 11, 2012
Rider 82, Niagara 84

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. –  Ali Langford’s go-ahead dunk with 3.7 seconds left capped a second half rally which witnessed the Niagara Purple Eagles erased a 17-point deficit to defeat the Rider Broncs, 84-82, on Saturday at the Gallagher Center.

February Fever
Niagara is 34-14 since the 2006-07 season, including a splendid 21-4 mark at the Gallagher Center. NU opened February with a double overtime setback at home against Loyola on Feb. 2 and will play seven more games in the month including a home BracketBusters game against Northwestern State. Niagara has five straight seasons with a winning record during this month.

Win Streaks Snapped In Double OT Loss
NU  had its program-best 10-game conference win streak, eight-game home win streak and its seven-game overall win streak end on a buzzer-beating layup in a double overtime 89-87 loss to the Loyola Greyhounds on Feb. 2.

The eight-game home streak was the longest since NU went unbeaten (11-0) during the 2004-05 season, and the seven-game win streak was the longest since 2008-09 (seven).  The 10-game conference win streak was tied for fourth longest in the nation.