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Niagara Purple Eagles (7-22, 5-13 MAAC) vs. Canisius Golden Griffins (12-17, 7-11 MAAC)
Thursday, February 25 – 8:00 PM
Koessler Athletic Center – Canisius College
Radio: AM 1400 WWWS – Todd Callen
ESPN3: Doug Sherman & Rob Kenney

The Niagara Purple Eagles will head across the Grand Island Bridges to face longtime rival the Canisius Golden Griffins on Thursday, February 25 at 8 p.m.
 
Scene Setter
•  Niagara has played Canisius more than any other program in a series that started during Niagara's inaugural season in 1905-06.
•  The Purple Eagles are 19-8 in the last 27 meetings and have won three of the last four meetings at the Koessler Athletic Center.
•  Niagara won in its last visit to Canisius, 82-71, on February 24, 2015 to snap a four-game losing streak in the series. NU shot 78.9 percent from the field in the second half to set a Koessler Athletic Center record for field goal percentage in a half.
•  Canisius edged Niagara, 70-61, in the first meeting this season on January 22 despite a game-high 20 points by Matt Scott.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  The Purple Eagles halted a five-game skid with a 76-72 win over the Marist Red Foxes on February 18.
•  Five Purple Eagles (Emile Blackman – 21, Dominic Robb – 13, Cameron Fowler – 12, Matt Scott – 12, Maurice Taylor Jr. – 10) scored in double figures for the first time since February 24, 2015 when NU defeated Canisius, 82-71.
•  Dominic Robb recorded his first career double-double with 13 points and team and career-high 10 rebounds against Marist on February 18. Robb joins Matt Scott (six) and Justin Satchell as Purple Eagles with a double-double this season.
•  Cameron Fowler has scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time in his career with 12 points against Marist (February 18) and Fairfield (February 20). Fowler also grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Fairfield on February 20.
•  Matt Scott is one of two players in the MAAC (Siena's Brett Bisping) to have at least nine 20-point games and six 10-rebound games.
 
Blackman Eclipses 1,000-Point Threshold
•  Emile Blackman scored his 1,000th career point on February 20.
•  Blackman scored 170 of his 1,008 career points while playing at NCAA Division II LIU Post during the 2012-13 season.
•  Blackman needs 162 points to become the 44th member of the Niagara 1,000-Point Club.
 
Feelin' It
•  Emile Blackman has made 19 of his last 20 free throws over a six-game stetch.
•  Blackman has scored in double figures in 12 straight games, including tying a season-high of 23 points against Siena on January 26.
•  Blackman is averaging a team-best 16.2 points per game during this stretch.
 
On The Court
Canisius Golden Griffins (12-17/7-11 MAAC)
•  Canisius is 2-7 since defeating Niagara on January 22, including a weekend split against Fairfield (Lost 74-71) and Marist (Won 81-66).
•  The Golden Griffins are currently tied with Rider for seventh in the MAAC with a 7-11 record.
•  The Golden Griffins are first in turnover margin (+2.86), second in free throw percentage (.744) and in assist/turnover ratio (1.2), third in 3-pointers per game (8.7) and third in offensive rebounds per game (12.1), fourth in assists per game (14.3), and fifth in steals per game (6.2) and fifth in scoring (76.8).
•  Malcolm McMillan (14.9 ppg), Phil Valenti (14.0 ppg), Kassius Robertson (14.0 ppg) and Jermaine Crumpton (11.2 ppg) all average double figures on the season.
 
Against the Griffins (Niagara leads, 101-78)
•  Niagara and Canisius have faced off against each other more times than they have against any other team (179 meetings).
•  The Purple Eagles are 10-5 in their last 15 games at Canisius, including winning three of the last four trips.
   
Last Meeting – January 22, 2016
Niagara 61, Canisius 70
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Matt Scott scored a game-high 20 points, but a late second-half surge lifted the Canisius Golden Griffins over the Purple Eagles, 70-61, in front of a nationally-televised audience on ESPNU on Friday night.
 

The Series	Niagara leads 101-78
Last Game	January 22, 2016
	Niagara 61, Canisius 70
Last Niagara win	February 24, 2015
	Niagara 82, Canisius 71
Last Canisius win	January 22, 2016
	Niagara 61, Canisius 70
Last Niagara win at Canisius	February 24, 2015
	Niagara 82, Canisius 71
Last Canisius win at Home	January 22, 2014
	Niagara 74, Canisius 87
Current streak	Canisius, W1
Coach Casey vs. Canisius	1-4

 
Battle of the Bridge
• The Battle of the Bridge, the all-sports competition between cross-town rivals Niagara University and Canisius College, enters its 10th season in 2015-16.
• 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 five competitions.
• Canisius leads 15.5-4.5 through 12 competitions this season. The winner of the basketball game will receive two points.
 
Leading Man
•  Matt Scott has led or has shared team-high honors in at least one category (points, rebounds, assists, steals or blocks) in 23 games this season.
•  Scott has led NU in scoring and in rebounding in the same game 11 times this season.
•  Scott leads the team in scoring, rebounds, steals, field goals, free throws and minutes.