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The Niagara Purple Eagles begin their stretch run with their first meeting of the season against the Fairfield Stags on Thursday, Feb. 19 at 7 p.m.

NU and Fairfield are two teams in search of snapping losing streaks. After breaking a nine-game skid against Quinnipiac in double overtime on February 1, Niagara has lost four straight. The Stags are on a nine-game losing streak.

The Purple Eagles have won three of the last four in the series with Fairfield, including claiming two straight wins at the Webster Bank Arena. NU is 5-5 in its last 10 trips to Fairfield.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  Over the last 10 games, Emile Blackman is averaging a team-best 17.8 points while shooting a team-high 50 percent from the field, 44 percent from behind the arc and 89 percent at the free-throw line. Blackman, who has scored in double figures in the last 10 games, is leading NU in scoring with 13.2 per contest.
•  Blackman became the first Purple Eagle to score 30-plus points this season when he netted a game and career-high 32 points at Quinnipiac on Feb. 8. His 12 field goals are tied for the second most by a MAAC player.
•  Ramone Snowden is averaging 14 points and seven rebounds in two all-time meetings with Fairfield.  Snowden scored a game-high 18 points, including the go-ahead basket with 26 seconds left in the win at Fairfield last season.
•  Snowden had a game-high 10 rebounds against Rider on Feb. 15 for his fifth double-digit rebound game of his career.
•  Karonn Davis set a new career-best in assists with a game-high nine versus Quinnipiac on Feb. 1 to set career-highs in assists in consecutive games. The nine assists are the most by a Purple Eagle since Juan'ya Green had nine against Saint Peter's on March 2, 2013.
•  Niagara is one of two teams (Iona) in the conference to have five players with 20-point games this season - Blackman (3x), Myers (2x), Snowden, Reid and Scott.
•  The Purple Eagles' plus-19 rebounding margin versus Rider is their largest in nine seasons (plus-24 versus Siena on February 25, 2006).
•  Dominique Reid recorded his team-leading third double-double of the season with 18 points and a game-high 15 rebounds against Marist on Feb. 6 to become the first Purple Eagle with consecutive double-doubles since Bilal Benn in 2010. Reid is one of nine players in the conference with at least three double-doubles.
•  Cameron Fowler dished out a career-best six assists to share game-high honors against Quinnipiac on Feb. 8.
•  Niagara's 105 points against Quinnipiac are tied for 27th most by a team in a MAAC game.
•  Niagara's 22 assists against Quinnipiac on Feb. 1 are the most since having 23 versus Marist on February 6, 2011.
•  According to KenPom.com, Niagara is the THIRD youngest team in the nation. NU has 12 underclassmen on the roster. 

How To Tune-In
• Thursday's game will air live on ESPN3 and will be simulcast on SNY (DirecTV – 639, Time Warner – 27/320 Verizon Fios TV – 77/588 in Buffalo) with Bob Heussler and Joe DeSantis 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 on the Niagara Sports Network via PurpleEagles.com

On The Court
Fairfield Stags (6-20, 4-12 MAAC)
•  Niagara heads to Fairfield to face a Stag team currently on a nine-game losing streak.
•  The Stags are led by junior Marcus Gilbert's 16.7 ppg, which is good for fifth in the MAAC. Gilbert leads the MAAC and is 42nd in the nation in free throws made (120).
•  Freshman Tyler Nelson is second on the team with 8.9 ppg. Nelson is shooting 41% from three, which is good for second in the MAAC.
 
Against the Stags (Niagara leads, 38-27)
•  Niagara leads 38-27 in a series that began January 31, 1966.
•  The two teams split last season's regular season series with both teams winning on the road.
•  Last season's series was decided by a combined 10 points.
•  Since the 2011-12 season, neither team has won by more than eight points.
•  The Purple Eagles are 5-5 in their last 10 trips to Fairfield.
 
Last Meeting - February 20, 2014
Niagara 66, Fairfield 72
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles had their bid for a season sweep of the Fairfield Stags fall short in a 72-66 defeat on Thursday night.
 

The Series	Niagara leads, 38-27
Last Game	February 20, 2014
	Niagara 66, Fairfield 72
Last Niagara win	January 16, 2014
	Niagara 67, Fairfield 63
Last Fairfield win	February 20, 2014
	Niagara 66, Fairfield 72
Last Niagara win at Fairfield	January 16, 2014
	Niagara 67, Fairfield 63
Last Fairfield win at home	February 3, 2012
	Niagara 69, Fairfield 77
Current Streak	Fairfield, W1
Coach Casey vs. Fairfield	1-1

 
Niagara In February
•  The Purple Eagles are 38-28 in the month of February since the 2006-07 season, including a 24-13 mark at the Gallagher Center.
 
Rebounding Dominance
•  The Purple Eagles dominated the boards against Rider on February 15.
•  NU had a plus-19 (38-19) rebounding edge for its largest margin since February 25, 2006 when the Purple Eagles had a plus-24 margin (51-27) against Siena.
•  The 19 rebounds are the fewest allowed in a MAAC game this season.
 
The Common Dominator
•  Freshman Dominique Reid, who has played in every game this season, is gradually becoming Niagara's main option.
•  Reid accounts for 29.3 percent of possessions used which ranks 67th in the nation.
•  Reid leads the team with three double-doubles and was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Feb. 2.