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Game 24
Niagara Purple Eagles (8-15, 5-7 MAAC) vs. Fairfield Stags (10-10, 5-6 MAAC)
Thursday, February 2 – 8:00 PM
Location: Webster Bank Arena – Fairfield, Connecticut
Broadcast: ESPN3 – Doug Sherman and Vin Parise
Radio: AM 1400 WWWS – Todd Calen
 
   The Niagara Purple Eagles, who have won three of their last four games, begin a string of three straight road games starting on Thursday against the Fairfield Stags at 8 p.m.
 
Scene Setter
•  The Purple Eagles have won three of their last four games. NU scored the last six points to rally in the final minute to defeat Saint Peter's, 57-55, on January 21. Niagara, then, started its three-game homestand with a 91-84 victory over Canisius on January 23.
•  After having their two-game win streak halted with a last-second loss to Manhattan, the Purple Eagles bounced back into the win column in their next game. Niagara closed the final 5:21 with a 24-9 run to pull away for an 80-67 victory over the Rider Broncs on January 28. 
•  Niagara and Fairfield will meet for the first time this season, as the teams will bookend meetings in February. NU has won three of the last four visits to Fairfield.
 
Tipoff Tidbits
•  Matt Scot was named MAAC Player of the Week on January 30 after averaging 18.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game as NU went 2-1 last week.
•  Kahlil Dukes is FIRST in the nation in free-throw percentage (.942). Dukes has made his last 16 free throw attempts.  
•  Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 18th in the nation in blocks per game (2.48) and is first in the MAAC and 12th in the nation in total blocks (57). Robb is seventh on the single-season blocks list.
•  After scoring a total of 17 points in 11 games, Kevin Larkin has scored 38 points in the last three games. Larkin has scored in double figures in each game, including netting a season-high 16 points versus Canisius on January 23.
•  Kahlil Dukes has had at least five assists in five straight games, including tying a career-high nine assists against Canisius.
•  Matt Scott registered his 10th 20-point game of the season when he led all scorers with 20 points against Manhattan on January 26. His 10 20-point games are second in the MAAC.
•  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.
•  Matt Scott recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points while leading the game with 11 rebounds in the win versus Rider on January 28. His 10 career double-doubles are fourth most in program history since the 2006-07 season.
•  Niagara's 15 3-pointers against Monmouth on January 14 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.
•  Niagara leads the MAAC in blocked shots per game (5.3) and total blocks (122), and is second in 3-point field goal percentage (.387) and in free throw percentage (.758).
•  Niagara's 3-1 mark in its last four games is behind only Monmouth and Iona, who have an eight and five-game winning streak, respectively.
                               
On The Court
Fairfield Stags (10-10, 5-6 MAAC)
•  After losing five straight, the Stags have won their last two games (Marist, Manhattan) to start a four-game homestand.
•  Three members of the Stags starting lineup are averaging double figures scoring - Tyler Nelson (19.2 ppg), Curtis Cobb (14.7 ppg) and Jerry Johnson (11.1 ppg).
•  Fairfield is second in the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.324), and defensive rebounds per game (27.1). 
•  Tyler Nelson's 19.2 points per game and 36.6 minutes per game are first in the conference, while Amadou Sidibe's 10.2 rebounds per game are also leading the MAAC.
 
Against the Stags (Niagara leads 40-29)
•  Niagara has won three of the last four meetings at Fairfield.
•  Nine of the last 10 meetings have been decided by less than eight points.
•  The series has alternated sweeps in the last two seasons with Fairfield winning both meetings last season and Niagara winning both meetings during the 2014-15 season.
 
Last Meeting – February 19, 2016
Fairfield 71, Niagara 59
 
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – A resilient comeback effort pulled the Niagara Purple Eagles back into the game, but the Fairfield Stags were able to maintain the lead down the stretch and eclipse the Purple Eagles, 71-59, on Saturday afternoon's home finale.
 

The Series	Niagara leads 40-29
Last Game	February 20, 2016
	.Fairfield 71, Niagara 59
Last Niagara win	March 1, 2015
	Niagara 57, Fairfield 56
Last Fairfield win	February 20, 2016
	.Fairfield 71, Niagara 59
Last Niagara win at Fairfield	February 19, 2015
	Niagara 55, Fairfield 53
Last Fairfield win at Home	January 15, 2016
	Fairfield 73, Niagara 68
Current Streak	Fairfield, W2

 
Scott Named MAAC Player Of The Week
•  Matt Scott was named MAAC Player of the Week on January 30 for the second time in his career and is the first Purple Eagle to win the weekly award this season.
•  Scott averaged 18.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game as the Purple Eagles went 2-1 in three games.
•  Scott, who scored at least 18 points in each game, led all scorers in two of the three games while also collecting double-doubles in two games.
•  Scott averaged 56 percent from the field, 50 percent from 3-pointers and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line in the three games.
 
Scott Gains Access To 1,000-Point Club
•  Matt Scott reached the 1,000-Point Club at Niagara University with his 18-point performance against Rider on January 28.
•  Scott, who entered the game nine points away from 1,000, scored his 1,000th point on a 3-pointer with 10:35 remaining in the second half.
•  Scott is now the 45th member of the club at Niagara.