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Looking To Keep The Streak
The Niagara Purple Eagles enter Thursday's 11 a.m. contest at the Wolstein Center against the Cleveland State Vikings with four-straight wins under their belt.

Niagara (4-3) pushed its winning streak to four after a convincing 64-36 victory over the Manhattan Jaspers on Dec. 7. The Purple Eagles, who trailed 20-19 at the half, outscored the Jaspers 45-16 in the second half.

Senior guard Meghan McGuinness totaled a team-high 13 points while also adding seven rebounds for the Purple Eagles. Sophomore forward Victoria Rampado narrowly missed finishing the game with a double-double as her final stat-line featured 12 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Senior Val McQuade and junior Taylor McKay combined for 16 points while McKay also chipped in five rebounds and a team-leading four steals. Sophomore guard Emily Granruth came off the bench going a perfect 2-for-2 from the field for NU to contribute five points in the win.

The Purple Eagles have shot 48.0 percent from the floor this season and 72.1 percent from the free-throw line in their last four games.  The Vikings have only allowed its opponents to shoot 43.5 percent from the floor over their last four games and 44.4 percent for the season. Niagara enters the game with Sylvia Maxwell leading the way in points per game (10.8 ppg) while Donisha Watson leads the team in rebounds (5.3 rpg).

The Cleveland State Vikings (6-3) are coming off three consecutive home wins against Belmont, Kent State and East Carolina.

The Purple and White will look to snap a four-game skid against the Vikings. The last NU win came on Nov. 12, 2006 when Michelle Manfredi, a former player and staff member, scored the game winner with 21 seconds left in overtime for an 84-83 win.
 
How To Tune In

• ESPN3
• Purple Eagle Fans can follow all of Thursday's action via PurpleEagles.com.

 
On The Court
Cleveland State Vikings (6-3, 0-0 Horizon League)

• The Vikings are led by Kate Peterson Abiad who is in her 12th year as head coach at CSU
• Senior Cori Coleman is the Vikings' top scorer, averaging 16.4 points and 5.3 rebounds per game
• Seniors Imani Gordon and Kiersten Green also average double-figures for Cleveland. Gordon scores 13.1 points per contest while Green adds 10.8 for the Vikings.
• Alexis Eckles leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per game while also contributing 9.1 points per outing.

 
Against the Horizon League

• The Purple Eagles have faced six of the nine teams in the current incarnation of the Horizon League. Niagara is 16-31 overall versus opponents in the Horizon League. The Purple Eagles opened the 2014-15 season against Horizon League team, Youngstown State on Nov.  15.

 
On The Road Again

• The last time these teams met was on Nov. 19, 2010. Niagara fell to Cleveland State, 64-50, at the Wolstein Center.
• The Purple Eagles are 1-3 on the road this season.  Thursday's game is the team's last chance to get another road victory in non-conference play.

 
A Win On Thursday Would...

• Break Cleveland State's current four-game win streak in the series against the Purple Eagles.
• Boost Niagara to a five-game winning streak for the season.
• Give NU five wins through its first eight games for the first time under head coach Kendra Faustin.

 
Last Time Out

• The Purple Eagles were able to stay perfect at home on Dec. 7, earning a 64-36 victory over MAAC contender Manhattan College.
• It was the first time this season Niagara allowed fewer than 40 points against its opponent.
• The last time NU held a team under 40 was on February 22, 2013 vs Fairfield, in a 50-38 win.

 
What A Start

• The last time Niagara started with a 3-0 stand at home was in the 2006-07 season when the Purple Eagles finished with a 14-16 overall record. That year, NU beat Colgate (76-62), St. Bonaventure (71-64), Maryland-Eastern Shore (70-54) and St. John's (63-46) to start the season 4-0 at the Gallagher Center.
• The last time the Purple Eagles began conference play undefeated was in the 2004-05 season. Niagara beat Rider (78-70), Loyola (72-64), Saint Peter's (74-64), Manhattan (59-54), Fairfield (77-72 OT), and Iona (78-65) for a 6-0 record in the MAAC.

 
Going Streaking

• The Purple Eagles defeated Binghamton (11/26) and Detroit (11/29) for their first wins of the season. Niagara won two more consecutive games beating MAAC competitors, Saint Peter's and Manhattan on Dec. 5 and Dec. 7, respectively.
• The last time Niagara went on a four-game winning streak was in the 2009-10 season.

 
McGuinness Earns Big 4 Player of the Week

• Meghan McGuinness was named the Big 4 Player of the Week on Dec. 8 for her performance in the pair of games against Saint Peter's and Manhattan.
• McGuinness averaged 12.0 points and five rebounds over two games for the Purple Eagles in conference action.
• Beginning this season, the Big 4 – Buffalo, Canisius, Niagara and St. Bonaventure – will announce players of the week for men's and women's basketball.

 
Top Of The MAAC (as of Dec. 17)

• Kelly Van Leeuwen ranks third in the conference with a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio.
• Victoria Rampado has the fourth best field goal percentage in the conference after going 24-for-46 (52.2-percent) over the past seven games.
• Donisha Watson stands third in the MAAC averaging 1.6 bpg.
• As a team, Niagara is third in the conference with a .9 assist/turnover ratio. NU also ranks second in both offensive rebounds (15.6 per game) and defensive rebounds (28.6 per game)

 
Welcome To The Club?

• Senior guard Meghan McGuinness is closing in on her 1,000 career point as she he currently has 975 points.
• McGuinness would become the 22nd Purple Eagle to record 1,000 career points.

 
Double Vision

• The Purple Eagles have had six different players score double figures in their first seven games this season.
• Meghan McGuinness has hit double figures a team-leading four times; Val McQuade, Sylvia Maxwell, and Victoria Rampado have all contributed three double digit outings.
• Taylor McKay scored at least 10 points in two games for Niagara while Kaylee Stroemple joined the club against Binghamton (11/26).
• They had four players score at least 10 points in their victory over Binghamton. while three players scored in double digits against UB and Detroit.
• The last time NU had four players hit double-digits was in the 2012-13 season against Rider (1/18/13).  Kayla Stroman scored 13 points; Lauren Gatto and Shy Britton both scored 11; and Meghan McGuinness added 10.