Game Notes | Live Stats | Live Audio 

The Niagara Purple Eagles begin their quest for a MAAC Championship on Thursday when they play sixth-seeded Marist at 9 p.m. at the MassMutual Center.
 
Niagara (6-25) enters the "second season" looking to break a 10-game losing streak to end the regular season. Six of the 10 games have come down to the final minute, including four games being decided in the finals seconds.
 
NU's' last win was against Marist, an 80-74 decision on Jan. 24, while Marist (12-18) won the second meeting 78-64 a week later. The Purple Eagles and Red Foxes will meet for the first time in the MAAC Tournament since Marist bounced Niagara in the first round in 2011.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
• NU is 22-22 with two titles (2005 & 2007) in 24 appearances at the MAAC Championship.
• Antoine Mason moved into THIRD all-time in career scoring at Niagara on March 2 after a game-high 20 points at Saint Peter's.
• Mason is THREE free throws away from tying Calvin Murphy's single-season record of 242 free throws made during the 1967-68 season.
• Marvin Jordan needs 20 3-pointers to tie Tyrone Lewis ('10) for first in career 3-pointers at Niagara (290).
• Mason was named to the All-MAAC Second Team and College Sports Madness' MAAC First Team.
• Mason averaged 20.6 points in five meetings vs. Marist, while Jordan averaged 11.7 points per game in nine encounters including scoring a career-high 27 points as a freshman.
 
How To Tune-In
•  Fans can listen live to all of the action from "The Voice of the Purple Eagles" Todd Callen on ESPN 1520 AM and free online through Purple Eagles All-Access.
 
Mason Among Nation's Top Scorers 
• Antoine Mason is SECOND in the nation in scoring at 25.2 points per game. He led the nation in scoring from Nov. 23-Feb. 16.
•  Mason LEADS the nation in free throws made (239), free throw attempts (324), and in field goals attempts (571).
•  Mason accounts for 33.5 percent of Niagara points which is second the country.
•  He holds the highest scoring game in regulation in the MAAC this season (career-high 39 vs. Brown).
 
Scoring Machine
• Antoine Mason has 35 straight games in double figures.
•  His career-high 39 points versus Brown are tied for the 18th most in the NCAA Division I this season.
•  Mason has 11 30-point games this season, including a stretch of five straight (Nov. 21-30).
• Mason scored at least 20 points in 11 straight games dating back to last season (snapped on Dec. 6) and has scored at least 20 points in 23 of 31 games this season.
• Mason has scored at least 20 points in a half eight times this season, including six times in the second half (five straight from Nov. 21-30).
 
Mason Quickly Moving Up NU All-Time Scoring List
•  Antoine Mason entered the top-20 all-time scorers list at Niagara on Nov. 30.
•  Mason, who started the season 38th on the list, is currently third and is 343 points away from moving ahead of Juan Mendez ('05) for second all-time.  
 
Mason Rising Up MAAC's Charts
•  Antoine Mason ranks 20th all-time in career points in MAAC history with 1,868.
•  Mason's 780 points are tied for third most in a single-season since the 1997-98 season and his average of 25.2 points per game are fifth most during the same time span. 
•  His 239 free throws made are the MOST in a season since the 1997-98 campaign.
 
Mason Named To All-MAAC Second Team
•  Antoine Mason was selected to the All-MAAC Second Team.
•  Mason, a Preseason All-MAAC First Team selection, averaged 25.2 points per game and 3.5 rebounds per game while averaging 37.5 minutes in 31 regular season games,
•  Mason was a two-time MAAC Player of the Week honoree.
 
Charity Starts At Home
•  Antoine Mason moved ahead of Alex Ellis ('58) for third all-time in free throws made. Mason, who has 555 in his career, is 99 free throws away from tying Calvin Murphy ('70) and Juan Mendez ('05) for first place.
•  Mason, the nation's leader in free throws made and attempts, is three free throws away from tying Calvin Murphy for most in a single season. Murphy set the single-season school record (242) during the 1967-68.
 
On The Court
Marist Red Foxes (12-18, 9-11 MAAC)
• Marist has lost three of its last four games heading into the MAAC Tournament.
• Junior Chavaughn Lewis, an All-MAAC Second Team selection, ranks in the top 15 in the conference in scoring, assists, steals, defensive rebounds and minutes.
• Guard Khallid Hart, a seven-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, was named to the MAAC All-Rookie Team and is eligible for the MAAC Rookie of the Year.
• Senior Adam Kemp is leading the team with 7.6 rebounds per game to go along with 10.0 points and 2.1 blocks per game.
 
Against the Red Foxes (Niagara leads, 23-16)
• Niagara has won nine of the last 13 meetings in the series that started on Dec 5, 1987.
• The Purple Eagles edged the Red Foxes in the first meeting of the season last week at the Gallagher Center. NU has won the last seven meetings at the Gallagher Center, which is the longest home winning streak by either team in the series.
• NU picked up its second win in the last six trips to Marist on Feb. 15, 2013 to complete the regular season sweep last season.
• Marist even the series with a 78-64 win on Feb. 1.
 
Last Meeting - February 1, 2014
Niagara 64, Marist 78
 
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles fell to the Marist Red Foxes, 78-64, in the MAAC National Game of the Week on Saturday night to conclude their road weekend.
 
Versus Marist In The MAAC Tournament
• Niagara is 2-2 against Marist in the MAAC Tournament. The Purple Eagles won in the quarterfinals in 2000 and 2009 and lost in the 2008 quarterfinals and 2011 first round.
 
Last Exit To Springfield
• For the third straight and final season, Springfield, Mass. will be the site of the MAAC men's and women's basketball championships from March 6-10.
• The Purple Eagles are 2-2 all-time in the MAAC Tournament when held in Springfield.
 
MAAC Tournament Tidbits
•  NU has been eliminated by the last two eventual MAAC Tournament Champions (Loyola in 2012 and Iona 2013).
•  Niagara is 0-2 as the lowest seed in the MAAC Tournament (8th seed in 1994 and 1995).
•  Antoine Mason is averaging 15.7 points in four MAAC Tournament games. He was named to the 2013 MAAC All-Tournament after averaging 21 points per game on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 94.4 percent (17-for-18) from the free-throw line.