NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – The Niagara University men's basketball program has released its 11-game non-conference schedule.
The Purple Eagles begin the 2016-17 season, and their 68
th season on the Frank and Barbara Layden Court at the Gallagher Center, against Big 4 rival and two-time defending MAC Champion Buffalo on Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m.
NU then ventures on a week-long three-game road trip starting against the Brown Bears on Sunday, Nov. 13. Niagara will then have four straight games in the Scarlet Knight Showcase where they will face Hartford, Rutgers, Drexel and North Texas.
The Purple Eagles will play Hartford on Tuesday, Nov. 15, then return home to face Drexel on Nov. 23 before heading back on the road over Thanksgiving break to play North Texas on "Black Friday" (Nov. 25) and at Kent State on Dec. 7.
The Purple Eagles welcome Norfolk State on Dec. 10 before traveling to play Youngstown State on Dec. 14 and against LIU Brooklyn on Dec. 21 at the Barclays Center, the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets since 2012.
Sandwiched between the YSU and LIU Brooklyn games is the Big 4 Classic Doubleheader where Niagara will face St. Bonaventure on Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. from the First Niagara Center in downtown Buffalo, New York.
The Purple Eagles return eight from last season's team, including All-MAAC Third Team selection junior guard
Matt Scott.
Tickets are on sale now. For ticket information, please contact the Niagara Ticket Office at (716) 286-TIXX (8499),
tickets@purpleeagles.com or visit
www.PurpleEagles.com/Tickets.
Stay connected with the Purple Eagles through social media. Follow Niagara Athletics on Twitter
@NUPurpleEagles and for men's basketball updates at
@NiagaraMBB. Check in with the Purple Eagles on
Facebook/PurpleEagles and on Instagram
@NUPurpleEagles.
Non-Conference Notes
Niagara defeated UB in its most recent home meeting (92-81) on Nov. 13, 2013 to improve to 5-1 against UB in home openers since 1979…The Purple Eagles beat Brown, 75-66, in their home opener last season…The all-time series between Niagara and Hartford is tied at 7-7… Niagara won the only previous meeting with Rutgers, defeating the Scarlet Knights, 73-61, on Dec. 18, 1969…NU and Drexel have split the 12 all-time meetings…NU dropped the only prior meeting with North Texas during the 1974-75 season…Niagara leads the all-time series with Kent State, 7-3, and will be making its second trip to Kent State in the last four years…The Purple Eagles won the only previous encounter with Norfolk State, 80-69, on Dec. 29, 2009 as part of the Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas as current DOBO
Tyrone Lewis set the program's all-time steals record in the game…NU had its three-game win streak in the series with YSU snapped last season…Niagara and St. Bonaventure will meet in the Big 4 Classic for the second time in three seasons…The Purple Eagles, who lead the all-time series 8-6, lost an overtime thriller to LIU Brooklyn last season…This will be Niagara's first-ever trip to the Barclays Center, the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets and NHL's New York Islanders, which opened in 2012.
