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Back On The Court
The Niagara Purple Eagles come out of the Christmas break against non-conference opponent the Dartmouth Big Green on Sunday at 4:00 p.m. 

Niagara (5-4) enters the meeting winners of five of its last six games.  Sunday's game will be one of Niagara's last non-conference matches this season, one that could be the first above-.500 finish since the 2006-07 season.

Dartmouth (6-5) comes back from Christmas break after a 70-58 OT victory against Loyola of Chicago on Dec. 20. The Big Green have only won two of its last seven games but started the season on a four-game winning streak.  Dartmouth will rely on their big two of Fanni Szabo and Lakin Roland, who both average double-digit points per game.

This is the first career meeting between the two programs, located roughly 430 miles apart from each other.
 
How To Tune In

• Purple Eagle fans can follow all of Sunday's action via PurpleEagles.com.  Fans can tune in to a live video broadcast on Purple Eagles All-Access with announcer Dave Universal and follow along with Live Stats.

 
On The Court
Dartmouth Big Green (6-5, 0-0 The Ivy League)

• The Big Green are led by Belle Koclanes who is in her second year as head coach at Dartmouth.
• Freshman guard Fanni Szabo is Dartmouth's top scorer, averaging 18.7 points and 5.6 rebounds per game
• Junior forward Lakin Roland also averages double-figures for the Big Green. Roland scores 13.1 points per contest and contributes a team-high 9.6 rebounds per game.

 

Against the Big Green (First Meeting)

• Sunday's game will be the first time these teams will face each other.

 
A Win On Sunday Would...

• Give Niagara the first victory in the series between the two teams.
• Put Niagara back in the win column.
• Give NU six wins through its first ten games for the first time under head coach Kendra Faustin.

 
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 five-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.