Game Notes | Live Video/Audio | Live Stats | Tickets 

Game 23
Niagara Purple Eagles (7-15, 4-7 MAAC) vs. Rider Broncs (12-9, 5-5 MAAC)
Saturday, January 28 – 3:00 PM
Location: Gallagher Center – Niagara University
TV: Lockport Community Television – Todd Callen
Radio: WGR 550 AM – Todd Callen
 
    The Niagara Purple Eagles will play their third game in six days when they host the Rider Broncs on Saturday, January 28 at 3 p.m.
 
Scene Setter
• Niagara started the week with a resounding victory over archrivals Canisius on January 23. The Purple Eagles, who never trailed, led as much as 18 points en route to a 91-84 win.
• The Purple Eagles had their two-game win streak halted with a last-second lost to Manhattan on January 26.
• NU fell in the first meeting with Rider, 89-78, on January 8. The game was tied at 65-65 when the Broncs went on a 12-0 run. Matt Scott led all scorers with 22 points, Marvin Prochet grabbed a game-high nine rebounds, Kahlil Dukes dished out a game-high six assists and Dominic Robb swatted a game-high four shots.
• The Purple Eagles have lost eight of the last nine meetings with Rider.
• Niagara is 12-9 all-time at home vs. Rider and will be looking for its first victory over the Broncs at the Gallagher Center since Feb. 11, 2012.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
• Matt Scott registered his MAAC-leading 10th 20-point game of the season when he led all scorers with 20 points against Manhattan on January 26.
• Three of Niagara's four MAAC wins have come against teams in the top four of the standings, including preseason No. 2 (Iona) and No. 3 (Siena).
• Niagara scored 51 first half points against Canisius on January 23 which is its highest first half point total since scoring 51 against Marist on January 3, 2013. The Purple Eagles shot 53.2 percent (33-for-62) from the field for the team's second highest field goal percentage this season.
• Kahlil Dukes leads the MAAC and is FOURTH in the nation in free-throw percentage (.934). 
• Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 22nd in the nation in blocks per game (2.41) and is first in the MAAC and 14th in the nation in total blocks (53). Robb is now tied for ninth on the  single-season blocks list.
• Niagara made 15 3-pointers against Monmouth on January 14. The 15 3-pointers are the most since draining 16 3-pointers at Oregon State to open the 2012-13 season. The 15 3-pointers are tied for third most in program history and are tied for the second most in the MAAC this season.
• Matt Scott recorded his third double-double of the season with 18 points while leading the game with a season-high 12 rebounds in the win versus Canisius on January 23. His nine career double-doubles are fourth most in program history since the 2006-07 season.
• Niagara leads the MAAC in blocked shots per game (5.2), total blocks (115), and 3-point field goal percentage (.388), and is second in free throw percentage (.757).
 
On The Court
Rider Broncs (12-9, 5-5 MAAC)
• After defeating Niagara on January 8, Rider is 1-4 in its last five games, with the lone victory in that stretch coming at home against Marist on Jan. 21.
• Four members of the Broncs starting lineup are averaging double figures scoring - Kahlil Thomas (13.7 ppg), Jimmie Taylor (13.6 ppg), Stevie Jordan (11.9 ppg) and Xavier Lundy (10.9 ppg).
• Kahlil Thomas leads the MAAC with eight double-doubles.
• Rider leads the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.310), defensive rebounds per game (27.5), rebound margin (3.7), total rebounds (857) and rebounds per game (40.8). 
• Stevie Jordan's 5.4 assists per game is second in the conference, while Kahlil Thomas' 9.7 rebounds per game are third in the MAAC.
• The Broncs will be playing their second of three straight road game after playing Saint Peter's on Jan. 23 and before playing Canisius on Jan. 30.
 
Against the Broncs (Rider leads 23-21)
• NU trail in the all-time series, 23-21, after dropping eight of the last nine meetings.
•  Niagara snapped a five-game losing streak in the series with a victory at Rider on Feb. 21, 2015.
• 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 – January 8, 2017
Rider 89, Niagara 78
 
LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Matt Scott scored a game-high 22 points, but a late second half run by the Rider Broncs pushed them passed the Purple Eagles in an 89-78 road defeat on Sunday.
 

The Series	Rider leads 23-21
Last Game	January 8, 2017
	Rider 89, Niagara 78
Last Niagara win	February 21, 2015
	Niagara 65, Rider 61
Last Rider win	January 8, 2017
	Rider 89, Niagara 78
Last Niagara win at Home	February 11, 2012
.	Niagara 84, Rider 82
Last Rider win at Niagara	February 5, 2016
	Rider 66, Niagara 60
Current Streak	Rider, W3

 
Scott Approaching 1,000-Point Club
• Junior guard Matt Scott is approaching the 1,000-Point Club at Niagara University.
• Scott is nine points away from becoming the 45th member of the club.
 
Perfect At The Line
• The Purple Eagles went 17-for-17 at the free-throw line in their victory over Canisius on January 23 to go perfect at the line for the first time since February 2, 2009 against Iona (8-for-8).
• 11 teams have gone perfect at the free-throw line this season, including three MAAC schools, and Niagara's 17-for-17 effort is second behind Kent State, which went 31-for-31 against Ball State.
• Niagara and New Mexico are the only teams in the nation to have two games shooting over 95.5 percent.