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Official NIT Program
Back In The Postseason
The seventh-seeded Niagara Purple Eagles will travel to play the No. 2 seed Maryland Terrapins in the 2013 National Invitational Tournament (NIT) First Round on Tuesday, March 19 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Purple Eagles, the 2012-13 MAAC regular season champions, are making their 14th appearance in the NIT. The 2012-13 MAAC Coach of the Year, Joe Mihalich, led the youngest team in the conference and 40th youngest in the nation to a 13-5 MAAC record, which tied the second-best mark in program history.
NU features a backcourt duo that has set school and conference records. Juan’ya Green (16.8 ppg) and Antoine Mason (18.5 ppg) became the first sophomore duo to reach the 1,000-point club in school and conference history this season. Classmate Ameen Tanksley (11.1 ppg) is the third leg of the tripod which gives NU one of the youngest three-guard backcourt in the nation.
The Purple Eagles also receive contributions from “veteran” junior sharpshooter Marvin Jordan (8.4 ppg), who is third all-time in career 3-pointers at NU, MAAC All-Rookie selection T.J. Cline (7.8 ppg) and transfer red-shirt senior big man Devon White.
Tipoff Tidbits
~ Niagara is making its 14th appearance in the NIT and is 9-13 all-time in the event. NU’s last appearance was in 2009 when the Purple Eagles hosted their first-ever postseason game at the Gallagher Center.
~ Joe Mihalich is a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year and Hugh Durham National Mid-Major Coach of the Year Award. Mihalich earned his third MAAC Coach of the Year award this season.
~ Juan’ya Green and Antoine Mason are the first sophomore duo named to the All-MAAC First Team in league history.
~ The only previous meeting between Niagara and Maryland was in the 1972 NIT Championship Game. The Terrapins won 100-69.
How To Tune In
Tuesday’s game will be aired on ESPN2/WatchESPN. 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 Regular Season Champs
NU claimed the 2012-13 MAAC regular-season title with a 13-5 conference record. The Purple Eagles have shared the regular season on three other occasions (1999, 2001, 2005), but this is the first season NU has won it outright. The regular season crown guaranteed the Purple Eagles a bid to the National Invitational Tournament (NIT).
Niagara In The NIT
The Purple Eagles are 9-13 in 13 previous appearances in the NIT. NU’s most recent trip to the NIT was in 2009 when the Purple and White hosted their first-ever postseason game at the Gallagher Center versus Rhode Island (lost 68-62). NU’s last win came in 2004 when it defeated Troy State, 87-83, in Buffalo, N.Y.
NU’s best run in the NIT occurred during the 1971-72 season when the Purple Eagles defeated UTEP, Princeton and St. John’s before falling to Maryland in the championship game.
|
YR. |
RD. |
Opponent |
Result |
|
1950 |
First |
WKU |
L, 79-72 |
|
1953 |
First |
BYU |
W, 82–76 |
|
|
Quarters |
Seton Hall |
L, 79-74 |
|
1954 |
Quarters |
Dayton |
W, 77–74 |
|
|
Semifinals |
Duquesne |
L, 66-51 |
|
|
3rd Place |
WKU |
W, 71–65 |
|
1955 |
First |
Lafayette |
W, 83–70 |
|
|
Quarters |
Cincinnati |
L, 85-83 |
|
1956 |
Quarters |
St. Francis (NY) |
L, 74-72 |
|
1958 |
First |
Xavier |
L, 95-86 |
|
1961 |
Quarters |
Providence |
L, 71-68 |
|
1972 |
First |
UTEP |
W, 76–57 |
|
|
Quarters |
Princeton |
W, 65–60 |
|
|
Semis |
St. John’s |
W, 69–67 |
|
|
Finals |
Maryland |
L, 100-69 |
|
1976 |
First |
Kentucky |
L, 67-61 |
|
1987 |
First |
Seton Hall |
W, 74–65 |
|
|
Second |
La Salle |
L, 89-81 |
|
1993 |
First |
Boston College |
L, 87-83 |
|
2004 |
Opening |
Troy |
W, 87–83 |
|
|
First |
Nebraska |
L, 78-70 |
|
2009 |
First |
Rhode Island |
L, 68-62 |
NIT Notable Moments
Niagara has had its share of great performances in the NIT.
~ In a 1953 overtime win over BYU, Larry Costello scored 25 points while Charlie Hoxie added 23.
~ Hubie Brown played in seven NIT games at Madison Square Garden in his three seasons.
~ Andrew Walker played in the NIT in 1976, scoring 18 points in a loss to Kentucky. He then coached the 1987 team to the NIT, defeating Seton Hall before losing to La Salle.
~ Juan Mendez totaled 47 points and 21 rebounds in a pair of NIT games in 2004.
~ In 2009, the legendary ‘Taps’ Gallagher Center hosted its first-ever postgame when the Purple Eagles faced Rhode Island on St. Patty’s Day. NU finished the 2008-09 season with 26 wins, the second most in school history and most since the 1921-22 season (27 wins).
CollegeInsider.com Honors Mihalich, Green
CollegeInsider.com named Joe Mihalich as the MAAC’s Coach of the Year and Juan’ya Green as the MAAC’s Co-Most Valuable Player. Mihalich led the youngest team in the conference to the program’s first regular-season title since the 2004-05 season. .
Green earned All-MAAC First Team honors this season and is the only player in the MAAC to rank in the top five in scoring, assists, steals and assist/turnover ratio. Green, who is the reigning CollegeInsider.com National Mid-Major Freshman of the Year,
Mihalich Finalist For Two Prestigious Awards
Joe Mihalich is a finalist for the Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award and the Hugh Durham National Mid-Major Coach of the Year. The Skip Prosser Award was established in 2008 to honor those who not only achieve success on the basketball court but who display moral integrity off of it as well. The Hugh Durham Award is given annually to the nation’s top mid-major coach.
The 2013 recipient will be announced at the CollegeInsider.com awards banquet in Atlanta, site of the men’s NCAA Basketball Championship.
Mason Named To MAAC All-Tourney Team
Sophomore guard Antoine Mason was selected to the 2013 MAAC All-Tournament Team on Monday night. Mason averaged 21 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 94.4 percent (17-for-18) from the free-throw line. Mason was the game’s leading scorer in the quarterfinals victory over Siena and the semifinals loss to eventual champion Iona, netting 21 points in each game.
Mason, who played an average of 36.5 minutes per game, tied a career-high with four steals against Siena. Mason is the first Purple Eagle to garner all-tournament accolades since the duo of Tyrone Lewis and Bilal Benn in 2009.
Mihalich Named MAAC Coach Of The Year
Joe Mihalich was named the 2013 The Rock MAAC Coach of the Year announced on March 7 during the MAAC Basketball Awards Show at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mihalich, who is the all-time winningest head coach in MAAC history, added another accolade to his illustrious career as head coach of the Purple Eagles. The “Dean of MAAC Coaches” navigated the youngest team in the conference and 40th youngest in the nation to its first regular season title since the 2004-05 season. Mihalich’s Purple Eagles have guaranteed themselves a trip to a postseason tournament (NIT or NCAA) for the fifth time during his 15-year tenure.
Mihalich is only the second coach in league history to win the award three times, joining Saint Peter’s Ted Fiore (1987, 89, 91).
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.
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.
On The Court
No. 2 Maryland Terrapins (22-12, 8-10 ACC)
The Maryland Terrapins went 22-12 and 8-10 in the ACC to finish seventh in the conference. Maryland defeated Wake Forest and Duke in the ACC Tournament before falling to North Carolina in the semifinals. Dez Wells lead the team in scoring with 13.1 per game. Alex Len is second on the team with 12 ppg and leads the team with 7.9 rpg. The Terrapins are 16-3 at home this season.
Against the Terrapins (UMD, 1-0)
Niagara dropped its lone meeting against the Maryland Terrapins, which happened to be played in the NIT. The Purple Eagles and Terrapins met for the 1972 title, with Maryland winning 100-69 in New York City.
Last Meeting - March 25, 1972
NIT Championship Game
Niagara 69, Maryland 100
Against the ACC
Niagara is 0-9 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Purple Eagles’ previous encounter with an ACC team was Georgia Tech during the 2010-11 season.
Local Connections
A couple of Purple Eagles have local ties to the area. Head coach Joe Mihalich began his coaching career under legendary high school coach and Hall of Fame inductee Morgan Wooten at DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. He served as the assistant varsity coach for three years and head junior varsity coach for two years. Junior guard Malcolm Lemmons is from Washington, D.C. and played at Gonzaga High School which is eight miles from College Park.
Versus 2013 NCAA Tourney Teams
Niagara played five teams in this season’s NCAA Tournament: Bucknell, NewMexico State, Iona (3x), Notre Dame and Northwestern State. The Purple Eagles went 3-4 with the wins coming against New Mexico State, Iona and Northwestern State.
