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Live Audio The Niagara Purple Eagles begin their 2014-15 campaign against perennial power Pitt on Friday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. on ESPN3 from the Petersen Center.
The 109th edition of Purple Eagles basketball, led by second-year head coach Chris Casey, features a team chock full of youth and energy. The young Purple Eagles start their season versus a Pitt team that returns 11 players from last season's team that won 26 games and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
Tipoff Tidbits• NU is 10-11 in its last 21 season openers, including 5-4 in season openers on the road.
• The Purple Eagles will play a team from a Power 6 conference during the regular season for the seventh straight season. Niagara's last win versus a Power 6 conference opponent was against South Florida, at the time a member of the Big East, on Dec. 14, 2008 (70-55).
• In its next game, Niagara opens MAAC play at Saint Peter's on Nov. 20 against a Peacocks team that was picked fourth in this season's preseason poll.
How To Tune-In• Friday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 with Tim Neverett and Curtis Aiken on the call.
• Fans can listen live to all the action from "The Voice of the Purple Eagles" Todd Callen on AM 1400 WWWS and free on PurpleEagles.com through the Niagara Sports Network.
New Look Purple Eagles• Head coach
Chris Casey begins his second season on Monteagle Ridge.
• In his first season at the helm, Casey picked up the program's first win against Big 4 rival Buffalo since 2008 and a victory over two-time defending SoCon champions Davidson.
• The 2014-15 Purple Eagles will be one of the youngest teams in the nation with 13 underclassmen (five freshmen, two redshirt freshmen, three sophomores, and three redshirt sophomores) on the roster.
Season Openers• NU is 10-11 in its last 21 season openers, including 5-4 in season openers on the road.
• The Purple Eagles' last road win to begin the season was at Binghamton (71-56) on Nov. 18, 2005.
• Niagara has lost its last three road season openers at Seton Hall in 2013, Oregon State in 2012 and Auburn in 2009.
Niagara In November• The Purple Eagles are 28-28 in November since the 2003-04 season
• Seven times Niagara had a record over .500 with the last time coming during the 2009-10 season (4-3).
On The Court
Pitt Panthers (0-0, 0-0 MAAC)• The Panthers are led by Jamie Dixon who is in his 12th year as head coach and 16th season at Pitt.
• Pitt was picked sixth in the new-look 15-team ACC.
• Pitt returns three starters (senior guard, Cameron Wright, junior guard James Robinson and sophomore forward Michael Young) and 11 letterwinners from a team that finished 26-10 overall and advanced to its 12th NCAA Tournament in the last 13 seasons.
Against the Panthers (Niagara leads, 2-1)• Niagara holds a 2-1 lead in three all-time meetings with the Pitt Panthers.
• The teams first met during the 1913-14 season and played twice more in the 1970s. Niagara won the last meeting on Dec. 2, 1975 (78-69).
Against The ACC• Niagara is 31-66 against the current members of the ACC.
• 81 of those 97 meetings are against Syracuse, which joined the ACC at the start of the 2013-14 season.
• Pitt is the only team Niagara has a winning record against (2-1).
• The last time the Purple Eagles played an ACC team was on Nov. 19, 2010 when they fell at Georgia Tech, 77-51.
Returning For The Purple and White• Forwards
Ramone Snowden (8.1 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game) and
Rayvon Harris (6.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg), and guards
Wesley Myers (6.7 ppg, 2.8 rpg) and
Cameron Fowler (1.7 ppg, 1.7 rpg).
• Snowden is the team's leading returner in points and rebounds. He played in all 33 games last season, including 30 starts.
• Myers is the team's leading returner in assists (1.2 per game). He played in all 33 games last season and started the final 14 games.
• Harris saw action in all 33 games last season while making three starts. Harris, a redshirt junior, is the only upperclassman on the team.
• Fowler played in 30 games last season and started in the first nine games of the season.
Key Newcomers (Backcourt)• Redshirt sophomore
Emile Blackman, redshirt freshman
Karonn Davis, and freshmen
Matt Scott,
Anders Skou Hansen and
Julian Richardson will be key additions in the backcourt.
• Blackman is a transfer from LIU Post where he played under Chris Casey. He averaged 6.5 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game during the 2012-13 season. He sat out last season due to NCAA transfer rules.
• Davis was a part of a winning program at Friend's Central High School in Philadelphia where he won a pair of Pennsylvania Independent Schools state titles. Davis redshirted last season and looks to be an influential member on the team.
• Scott was a three-year member at Brooklyn Law and Tech where he helped it to the program's first-ever Public School Athletic League (PSAL) Class A semifinal appearance. He earned New York State Sportswriters Association (NYSSWA) Class A Second Team honors for the 2013-14 season
• Skou Hansen brings international experience to the roster, having played for Hoersholm 79ers in his hometown of Broendby, Denmark. He also played for the Denmark national team at the youth level.
• Richardson was a three-time all-league first team, three-time all-city first team, and a two-time all-state first team selection playing at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, Calif.
Key Newcomers (Frontcourt)• Redshirt freshman forward
Dominique Reid, freshmen
James Suber, and
DayJar Dickson will look to make an immediate impact in the front court.
• Reid, who redshirted last season to rehabilitate a knee injury he suffered in high school, will look to make an immediate impact. His 6-foot-8, 200-lb frame adds size to the front court.
• Suber averaged 11.5 points per game during his senior season at Philadelphia Electrical & Technology as he helped the Chargers advance to the Philadelphia Public School and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Class AAA semifinals .Suber was named to the Daily News All-City Third Team and All-Public Second Team at the end of the season
• Dickson played on a successful high school full of Division I talent. He helped Potomac High School in Oxon Hill , Md. To the 2014 Maryland 2A state title. He averaged 7.0 points per game, five rebounds per game and 10.2 rebounds per game. At 6-foot-9, he is the tallest player on the roster.
Preseason Honors• Ramone Snowden and Wesley Myers were named to the Preseason All-Big 4 Second Team.
• The All-Big 4 Teams consists of players from Niagara, Buffalo, Canisius and St. Bonaventure.
• Dominque Reid was tabbed as MAAC Rookie/Freshman of The Year by College Sports Madness and by The Sporting News.
Purple Eagles Roll In Exhibition Win• Niagara defeated NCAA Division II Roberts Wesleyan 84-66 in an exhibition game on Nov. 3.
• 13 Purple Eagles saw action, including eight for the first time. Redshirt freshman Karonn Davis led all scorers with 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field in 24 minutes. Redshirt sophomore Emile Blackman added 11 points and five rebounds in his first action as a Purple Eagle. Freshman Matt Scott was perfect from the field (4-for-4), from behind the 3-point line (2-for-2) and at the free-throw line (3-for-3) for 13 points.
• Returners Ramone Snowden, Rayvon Harris, Cameron Fowler and Wesley Myers all had solid games. Snowden scored 14 points, including a game-best seven made free throws. Harris scored eight points and grabbed four boards. Myers led the game with four assists and Fowler scored five points and had four rebounds and two assists.
