Game Notes | ESPN3 | Live Audio | Live Stats

The Niagara Purple Eagles, winners of two straight, will travel across the Grand Island Bridges to face archrival the Canisius Golden Griffins on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 8 p.m. on ESPN3.

The Purple Eagles have strung together consecutive wins for only the second time this season and have won back-to-back MAAC games for the first time since February 2013. NU has also snapped a few streaks along the way – the win at Fairfield broke a four-game skid and the win at Rider halted a five-game losing streak to the Broncs and was the Purple Eagles' first win at Rider since January 2007.

Niagara has played Canisius more than any other program in series that started during Niagara's inaugural season in the 1905-06 season. The Purple Eagles have are 18-7 in the last 25 meetings and are 9-4 in their last 13 trips to the KAC. After winning five straight in the series, Niagara has lost the last four encounters for its longest losing streak since dropping five straight from Jan. 1994 to Feb. 1995.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  Emile Blackman, who has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 12 games, has soared into the top spot as Niagara's leading scorer and is 11th in the MAAC with 13.6 points per game.
•  Emile Blackman was named Big 4 Basketball Player of the Week on Feb. 23. Blackman averaged 19 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game as he helped the Niagara Purple Eagles to two road victories against Fairfield and Rider.
•  Dominique Reid notched his team-leading fourth career double-double against Fairfield on Feb. 19 with 14 points and 11 rebounds. His four double-doubles are tied with Ameen Tanksley (2011-12) and Anthony Nelson (2010-11) for most in the last four seasons.
•  The Purple Eagles made 15 of 16 free throws in the win at Rider on Feb. 21. The 93.8 free throw percentage is the highest since NU shot 94.7 percent (18-for-19) in a 69-61 victory at St. Bonaventure on Dec. 11, 2010.
•  The Purple Eagles' plus-19 rebounding margin versus Rider on Feb. 15 is their largest in nine seasons (plus-24 versus Siena on February 25, 2006).
•  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's 22 assists against Quinnipiac on Feb. 1 are the most since having 23 versus Marist on February 6, 2011.
•  Emile Blackman's six 3-pointers at Rider are the most since Marvin Jordan drained eight 3-pointers, which are a program record by a sophomore, at Rider on Feb. 5, 2012.
•  Emile Blackman netted a game-high 30 points at Rider for his second 30-point game of the season. Blackman is one of six players in the MAAC with multiple 30-point games.
•  The starting lineup of Wesley Myers, Matt Scott, Emile Blackman, Ramone Snowden and Dominique Reid is 2-0 this season.
•  According to KenPom.com, Niagara is the THIRD youngest team in the nation. NU has 12 underclassmen on the roster. 

How To Tune-In
• Tuesday's game will air live on ESPN3 with Ed Cohen and Rob Kennedy 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
Canisius Golden Griffins (15-12/10-8 MAAC)
•  Canisius enters Tuesday's game on a three-game winning streak with wins versus Saint Peter's, Siena and Quinnipiac.
•  The Golden Griffins lead the MAAC in turnover margin (+2.56) and are second in the conference in scoring defense (61.5 ppg), scoring margin (+2.5), assists (14.0 apg), and in assists/turnover ratio (1.2).           
•  Zach Lewis (13.2 ppg) and Phil Valenti (10.6) average double-figures scoring for Canisius. Valenti has missed the last seven games due to injury.
 
Against the Griffins (Niagara, 100-77)
•  Niagara and Canisius have faced off against each other more times than they have against any other team (177 meetings).
•  Niagara has dominated the series with its archrival recently. The Purple Eagles have won 18 of the last 25 meetings and nine of the last 13 at the Koessler Athletic Center.
•  The Purple Eagles' four-game losing streak in the series is the longest since dropping five straight from January 1994 to February 1995.
 
Last Meeting – December 6, 2014
Canisius 71, Niagara 65
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – On an historic day for Niagara University Athletics, the Purple Eagles men's basketball team fell to archrival Canisius, 77-64, on Frank and Barbara Layden Court at the Gallagher Center.
 

The Series	Niagara leads 100-77
Last Game	December 6, 2014
	Canisius 77, Niagara 64
Last Niagara win	January 27, 2013
	Niagara 66, Canisius 65
Last Canisius win	December 6, 2014
	Canisius 77, Niagara 64
Last Niagara win at Canisius	January 27, 2013
	Niagara 66, Canisius 65
Last Canisius win at Home	January 22, 2014
	Niagara 74, Canisius 87
Current streak	Canisius, W4
Coach Casey vs. Canisius	0-3

 
Battle of the Bridge
• The Battle of the Bridge, the all-sports competition between cross-town rivals Niagara University and Canisius College, enters its ninth season in 2014-15.
• After Niagara claimed the inaugural competition, Canisius won the series the next two years, before Niagara claimed the Canal Cup at the end of the 2009-10 season. With the series tied 2-2, Canisius has won the last four competitions.
• Canisius leads 15-5 through 12 competitions this season. The winner of the basketball game will receive two points.
 
Little 3 Business
• The Purple Eagles have dominated the Little 3 in recent seasons, owning a 26-11 record in the last 37 games against Canisius and St. Bonaventure.
• Niagara is 18-7 versus the Golden Griffins since Feb. 12, 2003 and is 8-4 against St. Bonaventure.
•  However, NU has dropped the last eight meetings to Canisius and St. Bonaventure.
 
Blackman Named Big 4 Player Of The Week
•  Emile Blackman was named Big 4 Basketball Player of the Week on Feb. 23 to become the first Purple Eagle to win the award on the men's side.
•  Blackman averaged 19 points per game and 4.5 rebounds per game as he helped the Niagara Purple Eagles to two road victories against Fairfield and Rider.
•  He shot 56 percent (14-for-25) from the field, 54.5 percent (6-for-11) from behind the 3-point line and was a perfect 4-for-4 at the free-throw line which includes four pressure free throws in the final 20 seconds in Niagara's 65-61 win at Rider on Sunday.
•  Blackman netted a game-high 30 points at Rider for his second 30-point game of the season. Blackman made 10 of 16 shots from the field and connected on 6 of 9 3-pointers which are a season-high by a Purple Eagle.
 
Breaking Through At The Broncs' Zoo
•  The Purple Eagles defeated the Rider Broncs, 65-61, on February 21 for their first win at the "Broncs' Zoo" since January 2007.
•  NU also snapped a five-game skid to the Broncs.
 
Birthday Bonanza
•  Dominique Reid celebrated his 20th birthday by helping Niagara to a 55-53 win at Fairfield on Feb. 19.
•  Reid led NU with 14 points and 11 rebounds for his team-leading fourth double-double.
 
Niagara In February
•  The Purple Eagles are 40-28 in the month of February since the 2006-07 season, including a 24-13 mark at the Gallagher Center.