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Scene Setter
•  Niagara holds a 21-20 lead in the all-time series.
•  10 of the last 16 meetings have been decided by less than four points, including Niagara's 65-61 win on February 21, 2015 to stop a five-game losing streak in the series.
• That win at Rider on February 21 was the Purple Eagles' first at Alumni Gymnasium since January 14, 2007.
•  NU has lost the last three meetings at the Gallagher Center with its last win coming on February 11, 2012 (84-82).
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  The Purple Eagles closed out January with three games in five days. NU went 1-2 with the win coming at Marist on January 28 to halt a four-game losing streak. 
•  Matt Scott is sixth in the MAAC in scoring with 16.8 per game, fifth in rebounds with 6.9 per game, and second in steals with 1.7 per game. Scott is the only player in the MAAC to rank in the top 10 in points, rebounds and steals per game.
•  Matt Scott scored a game-high 22 points at Quinnipiac on January 30 as he led the Purple Eagles in scoring for the sixth straight game while scoring in double figures for the eighth straight contest, including his fifth straight 20-point performance and ninth of the season.
•  Matt Scott is averaging 26.3 points per game, while shooting 87.8 percent (36-for-41) from the free-throw line, and averaging 7.5 rebounds per game, 2.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game in the last four games.
•  The Purple Eagles are second in scoring defense (68.7 ppg) in conference games and third in overall scoring defense (70.7 ppg).
 
Great Scott
•  Matt Scott ignited a second half comeback as NU topped Marist, 69-66, on January 28.
•  Scott led the game in scoring with 32, rebounds with 13, assists with five, steals with four and in minutes with a career-high 40.
•  He recorded his fifth double-double of the season and of his career, while setting a new career-high with 32 points.
•  The five double-doubles are the most by a Purple Eagle guard since Alvin Cruz had five during the 2004-05 season and most by a Purple Eagle since Bilal Benn had 13 during the 2009-10 season.
 
Blackman Approaching 1,000 Career Points
•  Emile Blackman needs 89 points to reach 1,000 points in his career.
•  Blackman scored 170 of his 911 career points while playing at NCAA Division II LIU Post during the 2012-13 season.
 
On The Court
Rider Broncs (9-14/5-7 MAAC)
•  Rider leads the MAAC in scoring defense (67.4 ppg) and is second in defensive field goal percentage (.406).
•  Bronc forward Kahlil Thomas leads the MAAC with a .567 field goal percentage and is second in the conference with 7.8 rebounds per game.
•  Rider is 5-2 in its last seven games, has one MAAC road win on the season and has played two ranked opponents extremely tight, losing to No. 3 Maryland 65-58 on Nov. 20 and falling to No. 14 Providence 73-65 on Dec. 19.
•  Guard Teddy Okerafor leads the team with 14.3 points per game.
 
Against the Broncs (Niagara leads 21-20)
•  Niagara holds a slim 21-20 series lead that began with a Purple Eagles' 69-44 win on January 2, 1992.
•  Niagara snapped a five-game losing streak in the series with a victory on Feb. 21, 2015 to regain the all-time series lead.
• The Purple Eagles are seeking their first home win against Rider since Feb. 11, 2012, when Niagara erased a 17-point deficit to score the winning basket with 3.7 seconds remaining to win 84-82.
 
Last Meeting – February 21, 2015
Niagara 65, Rider 61
 
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Niagara Purple Eagles prevailed over the second place Rider Broncs, 65-61, on Saturday afternoon for their second straight MAAC win.
 

Last Game	February 21, 2015
	Niagara 65, Rider 61
Last Niagara win	February 21, 2015
	Niagara 65, Rider 61
Last Rider win	February 15, 2015
	Rider 69, Niagara 60
Last NU win at Home	February 11, 2012
	Niagara 84, Rider 82
Last Rider win at Niagara	February 15, 2015
	Rider 69, Niagara 60
Current Streak	Niagara, W1
Coach Casey vs. Rider	1-3

 
13 Going On 31
•  Matt Scott led all scorers with a then-career-best 31 points against Siena on January 26.
•  Scott became the 10th player in the MAAC with a 30-point performance.
•  Scott also set a career-high in free throws, going a perfect 13-for-13, which are the most by a Purple Eagle this season.
•  It is the highest free throw percentage in the MAAC this season and the highest by a Purple Eagle since Charron Fisher went 14-for-14 at Saint Peter's on January 25, 2008.
 
February Frenzy
• Niagara is 42-29 in the month of February since the 2006-07 season.
• The Purple Eagles are 24-13 at home during that stretch.
• NU finished with an overall record of .500 or better in seven of the last nine seasons.
 
30 For 30
•  Matt Scott registered back-to-back 30-point games for the first time in his career when he scored 31 points against Siena on January 26 and setting a new career-high with 32 points at Marist on January 28.
•  Scott is the first Purple Eagle to have consecutive 30-point games since Antoine Mason in December 2013.
 
Leading Man
• Matt Scott has led or has shared team-high honors in at least one category (points, rebounds, assists, steals or blocks) in 20 games this season.
•  Scott has led NU in scoring and in rebounding in the same game 10 times this season.
• Scott leads the team in scoring, rebounds, steals, field goals, free throws and minutes.