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Stats
Game 1
Niagara (0-0, 0-0 MAAC) vs. St. Bonaventure Bonnies (0-0, 0-0 A-10)
Friday, November 10 – 8:00 PM
Bob Lanier Court at the Reilly Center – Olean, New York
Radio: AM 1400 WWWS – Todd Callen
The Niagara Purple Eagles start their 112th season of basketball when they visit Little 3 rival St. Bonaventure on Friday at 8 p.m.
Scene Setter
• The Niagara/St. Bonaventure series dates back to the 1920-21 season. NU trails in the all-time series, 88-69, but has won eight of the last 14 meetings.
• The Purple Eagles and Bonnies will meet at the Reilly Center for only the second time since 2010. NU and Bona have met in Rochester in 2012 (Blue Cross Arena), in Buffalo in 2014 & 2016 (KeyBank Center) and in the Gallagher Center (2011, 2013).
• Niagara is 4-1 in its last five trips to the Reilly Center, dropping its most recent visit on Dec. 30, 2015 (82-68).
• The Purple Eagles are 32-22 in their last 54 Big 4 matchups.
• The Purple Eagles are in search of their first season-opening win since defeating Central Connecticut State in overtime, 102-93, to open the 2011-12 season.
• Niagara is 4-6 in its last 10 season openers on the road, with its most recent victory coming against Binghamton on Nov. 18, 2005 (71-56).
Tipoff Tidbits
• Head coach
Chris Casey is in his fifth season leading the program, which will be one of the most veteran teams in the nation.
• Niagara welcomes back 87 percent of its scoring and 82 percent of minutes played.
• The Purple Eagles return seven letterwinners from last season, including the entire starting five – Matt Scott, Kahlil Dukes, Chris Barton, Marvin Prochet and Dominic Robb.
• Top returning reserves are guards Kevin Larkin and James Towns, while forwards Greg King and Kierell Green will make their debuts as Purple Eagles after redshirting last season.
• NU added four newcomers to the team in Dominik Fragala, Greg Kuakumensah, Keleaf Tate and Sam Volmy.
Preseason Praise For Purple Eagles
• "No team in the MAAC is more poised to leap from average to great than the Purple Eagles, who return their entire starting lineup." –
Brian Lester, Lindy's Sports
• "Seniors Kahlil Dukes and Matt Scott are going to take the Purple Eagles to the top three of the MAAC." –
Matt Norlander, CBS Sports
• "…the Purple Eagles' possible return to contention has been a key offseason storyline." –
Athlon Sports
• "…things are looking much better for the Purple Eagles with the return of their top six scorers, an incoming transfer and a strong recruiting class." –
Steve Amedio, Troy (N.Y.) Record, Street and Smith
On The Court
St. Bonaventure (0-0, 0-0 Atlantic 10)
• St. Bonaventure returns seven letterwinners, including four starters, from last season's team that went 20-12 overall.
• The Bonnies were picked second in the Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll for their highest preseason selection ever.
• The Bonnies have one of the most dynamic players in the country in senior guard Jaylen Adams. A two-time A-10 First Team selection, Adams has been named A-10 Player of the Year by NBC Sports and Blue Ribbon Yearbook and has been added to Oscar Robertson Award and Citizen Naismith Trophy watch lists.
• Adams and backcourt teammate Matt Mobley were both named to the A-10's Preseason All-Conference First Team.
Against the Bonnies (St. Bonaventure leads 88-69)
• The Purple Eagles won eight straight games in the series before falling at home on Dec.
30, 2011. NU has dropped the last six meetings.
• Six of the last eight meetings have been decided by less than 10 points.
Last Meeting – December 17, 2016
St. Bonaventure 79, Niagara 69
BUFFALO, N.Y. – In the 157th all-time meeting, the Niagara Purple Eagles fell in a tightly contested meeting with the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, 79-69, in the Big 4 Classic on Saturday at the KeyBank Center.
| The Series |
St. Bonaventure leads, 88-69 |
| Last Game |
December 17, 2016 |
|
St. Bonaventure 79, Niagara 69 |
| Last Niagara win |
December 11, 2010 |
|
Niagara 69, St. Bonaventure 61 |
| Last St. Bonaventure win |
December 17, 2016 |
|
St. Bonaventure 79, Niagara 69 |
| Last Niagara win at St. Bonaventure |
December 11, 2010 |
|
Niagara 69, St. Bonaventure 61 |
| Last St. Bonaventure win at Home |
December 30, 2015 |
|
St. Bonaventure 82, Niagara 68 |
| Current streak |
St. Bonaventure, W6 |
| Coach Casey vs. St. Bonaventure |
0-4 |
Against The Atlantic 10
• Niagara is 113-160 all-time against the Atlantic-10.
• The Purple Eagles have played the Bonnies the most (157), with La Salle coming in second at 47 meetings (17-30).
NU Tabbed Fifth In MAAC Preseason Poll
• Niagara was picked fifth in the MAAC preseason poll with a total of 76 points.
• The Purple Eagles' fifth place selection is their highest since being tabbed fifth in the 2012-13 season; NU went on to win the regular season.
Dynamic Duo
• The back-court duo of Matt Scott and Kahlil Dukes is one of the most prolific scoring combos in the nation. The pair combined for an average of 32.5 points per game, which is 11th in the NCAA among returning duos.
• The pair also combined to drain 130 3-pointers, which rank amongst the nation's best in returning duos.
• A two-time All-MAAC selection, Scott was named to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team to become the first Purple Eagle to be named to the MAAC Preseason First Team in four seasons. Dukes was named to the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team.
• This is the first time since the 2009-10 season two Purple Eagles have been named to All-MAAC preseason teams.
Challenging Schedule Ahead For The Purple & White
• The Purple Eagles will face a challenging non-conference schedule before venturing through an 18-game MAAC slate.
• Eight non-conference opponents had a winning percentage of .500 or higher.
• Four non-conference opponents played in the postseason – Minnesota (NCAA), BYU (NIT), Texas Arlington (NIT), Norfolk State (CIT)
• Niagara opens the season with four road games – St. Bonaventure, Minnesota, UMass and BYU – before playing four games at home.
• Minnesota is ranked No. 15 in both the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll.
• BYU and Texas Arlington, who the Purple Eagles may play as part of the Barclays Center Classic regional at the Gallagher Center, are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in the first Mid-Major Top 25 Poll.
Mattie Ice
• Matt Scott has caught the attention of several media outlets around the country leading up to the start of the season.
• Lindy's Sports selected Scott as its MAAC Player of the Year and named him the "Most Versatile".
• Scott has been named to the MAAC first team by Street & Smith and College Sports Madness, and MAAC second team by Athlon Sports.
• Scott was also named to the New York Post's Preseason All-City Third Team.
