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The Niagara Purple Eagles will face the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the Big 4 Classic Doubleheader on Saturday, Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. at the First Niagara Center in downtown Buffalo.

The Big 4 Basketball Classic, presented by The Buffalo News, will mark the first time all four Western New York Division I schools have played a true basketball doubleheader in First Niagara Center in nearly 16 years. This will be the fourth Big 4 basketball doubleheader in downtown Buffalo since the building opened in 1996.

The Niagara/St. Bonaventure series dates back to the 1920-21 season. NU trails in the all-time series, 85-68, but have won eight of the last 11 meetings. The teams will play on a neutral court for only the third time in the 153 previous meetings between the programs and the second time in three years.

The only previous meeting at the First Niagara Center between the teams was on Dec. 12, 1998 which saw Bona down Niagara, 70-61. The second neutral court encounter was on Nov. 24, 2012 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, N.Y. NU fell 80-75 in a game dubbed as the Thanksgiving Throwdown.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  The Purple Eagles are 29-13 in their last 42 meetings in Big 4 matchups, including 8-3 against St. Bonaventure.
•  Niagara will play in the First Niagara Center for the second straight season. The Purple Eagles defeated Davidson, 83-72, on Dec. 11, 2013 in game one of the Big 4 Doubleheader to improve to 13-11 all-time at the FNC.
•  Emile Blackman is perfect at the free-throw line (7-for-7) through three games. He is tied for first in MAAC in free throw percentage.
•  In the home opener on Nov. 22, Karonn Davis led the game with career highs in scoring and in assists with 17 points and four assists as NU was edged by Hartford, 65-62.
• According to KenPom.com, Niagara is the SIXTH youngest team in the nation.      
 
Classic Feel
•  All four teams will wear Buffalo Braves-themed throwback uniforms during the Big 4 Basketball Classic. The uniforms are modeled after the former NBA team in Buffalo from 1970-78. NU will wear the white uniforms reminiscent of what the Braves wore during the 1971-73 season.
•  The Hyatt Regency and MASH Urgent Care will serve as the presenting sponsors for the throwback uniforms, and each school will auction off the game-worn jerseys, with net proceeds to be donated to each institution's charity of choice.
 
Niagara In November
•  The Purple Eagles are 29-30 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
St. Bonaventure Bonnies (3-1, 0-0 A10)
•  Bonnies are 3-1 on the season and have won their last two games.
•  Four players are averaging in double-digit scoring, led by Marcus Posley (18.0). Youssou Ndoye leads the team in rebounding with 10.0 per game.
•  Bona is 1-1 against common opponents. The Bonnies fell to Siena 73-70 and defeated Canisius 59-53.
 
Against The Bonnies (St. Bonaventure leads 85-68)
•  Niagara trails in the all-time series, but has won eight of the last 11 meetings.
•  The Purple Eagles won eight straight games in the series before falling at home on Dec. 30, 2011. NU has dropped the last three meetings.
•  Niagara holds a 72 to 70.8 points per game average advantage in the last five meetings (NU is 2-3).
 
Last Meeting - December 21, 2013
Niagara 72, St. Bonaventure 74
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles erased another double-digit second half deficit only to fall on a buzzer-beating layup to the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 74-72, on Saturday at the Gallagher Center.
 

The Series	St. Bonaventure leads, 85-68
Last Game	December 21, 2013
	Niagara 72, St. Bonaventure 74
Last Niagara win	December 11, 2010
	Niagara 69, St. Bonaventure 61
Last St. Bonaventure win	December 21, 2013
	Niagara 72, St. Bonaventure 74
Last Niagara win at First Niagara Center	N/A
	N/A
Last St. Bonaventure win at First Niagara Center	December 12, 1998
	St. Bonaventure 70, Niagara 61
Current streak	St. Bonaventure, W3
Coach Casey vs. St. Bonaventure	0-1

 
Against The Atlantic-10
• Niagara is 110-15 all-time against the Atlantic-10.
• The Purple Eagles have played the Bonnies the most (153) with La Salle coming in second at 47 meetings (17-30).
• Niagara will face new A-10 member Davidson this season. The Purple Eagles defeated Davidson last season when the Wildcats were a member of the Southern Conference.
 
Niagara At The First Niagara Center
• The Purple Eagles are 13-11 at the First Niagara Center.
• This will be Niagara's second straight season playing at the FNC.
• Niagara holds several records at the First Niagara Center:
• Most points - 119 vs. Marist on Jan. 18, 1999
• Most points by an individual - 37 by Juan Mendez vs. Canisius on Dec. 3, 2003
• Most 3-pointers - 8 by Alvin Young vs. Canisius on Feb. 6, 1999
• Most steals - 6 by Alvin Young vs. Marist on Jan. 18, 1999
• Most rebounds - 22 by Kevin Jobity vs. Buffalo on Nov. 30, 1996
 
Historic Rivals Await In 3-Game Stretch For NU
•  NU will play three games against historic rivals, starting Saturday, Nov. 29 against St. Bonaventure
•  The Purple Eagles will renew their historic rivalry with fellow Vincentian school St. John's on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Carnesseca Arena. The teams have met 98 times, including encounters in the NIT and at Madison Square Garden in New York, but haven't played since the 2007-08 season.
•  Four days later, the Purple Eagles will host archrival Canisius on ESPN3 in the first Battle of the Bridge contest of the season.
 
Gallagher Center Court To Be Named For Frank and Barbara Layden
•  Niagara University will officially unveil the naming of the Gallagher Center court after Frank and Barbara Layden on Saturday, Dec. 6, before the Purple Eagles host Canisius College at 3 p.m.
•  Layden played for Niagara from 1951-55 under John "Taps" Gallagher and coached Niagara for eight seasons while leading the Purple Eagles to their first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 1970.
•  Layden coached in the NBA as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks (1976-79) and then was the general manager (1979-87), head coach (1981-89) and president (1989-99) for the Jazz organization.
•  Layden was named the 1983-84 NBA Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year, and was the recipient of the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award, which is annually given to a player or coach who shows outstanding service and dedication to the community.