The Niagara Purple Eagles conclude their regular season inside of the legendary ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center on Saturday at 3 p.m. against Saint Peter’s with a potential MAAC regular season crown on the line.
Saturday’s game has major implications for Niagara as it prepares for next week’s MAAC Tournament in Springfield, Mass. from March 8-11. The Purple Eagles will play on Saturday, March 9 but their seeding and potential opponent will be determined over the weekend. NU can clinch the regular season title with a win on Saturday.
NU handled the Peacocks in the first meeting of the season on Jan. 11, 77-58. The Purple Eagles swept last season series and have won nine of the last 13 meetings, including season sweeps in 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09.
Tipoff Tidbits
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Joe Mihalich is 22-8 against Saint Peter’s during his coaching career, his third most victories against one school (Loyola 25).
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Juan'ya Green has been named a finalist for the Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year Award. He is one of 25 finalists and three from the MAAC.
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Antoine Mason reached the 1,000-point plateau in Niagara’s 92-76 win over Northwestern State on Feb. 23. Mason joins Green as the second and third sophomores to score 1,000 points. The duo is the only pair to do so in MAAC history.
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T.J. Cline earned his third MAAC Rookie of the Week honor on Feb. 25 after posting 12 points and three rebounds on Feb. 23. Cline has won the most rookie of the week awards by a Purple Eagle.
~ Antoine Mason (18.4) and Juan’ya Green (17.2) are the sixth highest scoring duo in the nation at 35.6 points per game.
~ Niagara is 12-2 under Joe Mihalich in home finales, including winning the last six.
How To Tune In
Saturday’s game will be aired on LCTV. 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.
Closing In
The Purple Eagles have their sight on a regular season conference crown heading into the final weekend of play. NU leads the tightly contested MAAC and can clinch the regular season title and the No.1 seed with a win on Saturday. NU is in search of its first regular season title since 2005.
Green Named Finalist For Henson Award
Juan’ya Green is one of 25 finalists for the 2013 Lou Henson National Mid-Major Player of the Year award announced on Monday, Feb. 25 by CollegeInsider.com.
Green has been the catalyst to the Niagara Purple Eagles run to the top of the MAAC. Green, who ranks eighth in the nation in minutes logged, is the only player in the MAAC to rank in the top five in scoring (16.8 ppg, fifth), assists (5.0 apg, second), steals (1.9 spg, third) and assist/turnover ratio (1.8, tied first).
The Lou Henson Award is presented annually to the top Mid-Major player in Division I college basketball. The award is named in honor of Lou Henson who retired in 2005 after a spectacular coaching career that lasted 41 years. The Lou Henson award is one of 16 prestigious awards presented annually. The winner of the award will be announced on April 2 at halftime of the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament championship game.
Vote Green For Henson Player of The Year!
For the second straight year CollegeInsider.com is working with Point3 Basketball to promote the Lou Henson award “fan vote,” which will constitute 33% of the final vote. Visit
VoteLouHenson.com to cast your vote for Green. Voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 17.
And That’s Just The Half Of It
Niagara used a second half offensive explosion to sprint past the Northwestern State Demons for a 92-76 win in the 11th annual BracketBusters on Feb. 23 on ESPN3. The Purple Eagles scorched the Demons in the second half, shooting 67 percent, including 80 percent (8-for-10) from behind the arc, en route to its most points in a half since dropping 63 on St. Bonaventure in the second half of a 111-75 win on Dec. 21, 2004.
On The Court
Saint Peter’s Peacocks (9-19, 3-14 MAAC)
Saint Peter’s enters its final regular season game of the season 2-4 in its last six games. The Peacocks, who are in tenth in the conference, are led by Desi Washington (14.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg), Yvon Raymond (10.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg) and Blaise Ffrench (7.4 ppg, 4.6 apg).
Against the Peacocks (Niagara, 45-28)
Niagara’s 45 wins are fourth most against a conference opponent. The Purple Eagles have had winning streaks of 12 games (2000-05) and six games (2006-09). Niagara swept the season series last year for the first time in three seasons.
Last Meeting - January 11, 2013
Niagara 77, Saint Peter’s 58
JERSEY CITY, N.J. – The Niagara Purple Eagles began their conference road weekend with a convincing 77-58 victory over the Saint Peter’s Peacocks on Friday for their third straight win in the series.
This Is 300
Juan’ya Green is 11 assists away from 300 in his career. Green would join all-time assist leader Anthony Nelson (’11) as the only Purple Eagle to reach 300 assists in their first two seasons.
MAAC Start Sets Program Record
Niagara had its best start in conference play in its 24-year history as a MAAC member. The Purple Eagles’ 10-1 start was their best ever, breaking the record set during the 1998-99 season.
