The Niagara Purple Eagles return to the Gallagher Center to open their conference home schedule against the three-time defending MAAC champions Iona Gaels on Friday.
Scene Setter
• Niagara entered league play as the only MAAC team with a winning record and finished its non-conference regular season schedule with a 7-6 record for the second straight season.
• The Purple Eagles concluded their non-conference schedule going 5-2 in December. The Purple Eagles had a three-game win streak from December 3-16 with wins at Pitt, and at home versus New Hampshire and Cornell. NU also defeated Army and Norfolk State.
• The Purple Eagles are in the midst of a three-game losing streak, including dropping their first two MAAC games on the road to Manhattan and Fairfield.
• NU started MAAC play 0-2 last season before winning its next five league games on its way to a 12-6 MAAC record.
• Niagara had a 6-3 record in MAAC home games last season, which was Niagara's best record since the 2012-13 season (6-3).
Tipoff Tidbits
• Hoops HD named
Marvin Prochet the MAAC POYSF (Player of the Year So Far) for the non-conference season. Prochet averaged 18.2 points and 9.5 rebounds, and had six double-doubles in 10 non-conference games.
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Marvin Prochet leads Niagara and is third in the MAAC in scoring, averaging a career-high 17.2 points per contest. Prochet, who led the MAAC in rebounds last season, is second in the league with 8.5 rebounds per game. He is shooting a career-high 41.5 percent from the 3-point line which is second in the league.
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Dominic Robb leads the MAAC in total blocks (47) and blocks per game (3.1) while ranking fourth and seventh, respectively, in those categories nationally.
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James Towns sits atop of the MAAC in free throws percentage (.837) and is second in free throws made (72). Towns is also averaging career-high numbers in assists per game (4.7) and in assist/turnover ratio (1.5) which are both third best in the MAAC.
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James Towns picked up his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 10 assists against Norfolk State. He was three rebounds shy of a triple-double.
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Dominic Robb, who has had at least three blocks in five of the last six games, is 17 blocks away from tying Joe Arlauckas ('87) who finished his career with 220 blocks, for first place.
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Marvin Prochet collected his MAAC-leading sixth double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Cleveland State on December 19. Prochet has six double-doubles in 12 games.
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Dominik Fragala, who scored a total of seven points in 12 games, shared game-high honors in scoring with a career-high 20 points at Fairfield on January 7 to be the only Purple Eagle in double figures. Fragala shot 77.8 percent from the field, which is the highest field goal percentage by a Purple Eagle this season with a minimum of seven made field goals.
• Niagara leads the MAAC in free throw percentage (.751) and in rebounds per game (37.3).
On The Court
Iona Gaels (4-9, 2-0 MAAC)
• Iona snapped a seven-game losing streak to conclude non-conference play with consecutive conference wins over Monmouth and Fairfield.
• Four Gaels are averaging double figures scoring - E.J. Crawford (16.8 ppg), Rickey McGill (14.6 ppg), Tajuan Agee (12.2 ppg), Asante Gist (10.8 ppg).
• The Gaels rank first in the MAAC in points (79.0 ppg) and in field goal percentage (.455).
• Iona is 0-5 on the road this season.
Against the Gaels (Iona Leads 47-36)
• Niagara and Iona have split the series in the last two seasons with the visiting team winning both times.
• The Purple Eagles are in search of their first home win in the series since beating Iona, 93-90, in overtime on January 31, 2013.
Last Meeting - February 16, 2018
Niagara 85, Iona 84
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – The Niagara Purple Eagles erased a 12-point second half deficit to edge the Iona Gaels, 85-84, on Friday night for their fourth straight win.
| The Series |
Iona Leads 47-36 |
| Last Game |
February 16, 2018 |
|
Niagara 85, Iona 84 |
| Last Niagara Win |
February 16, 2018 |
|
Niagara 85, Iona 84 |
| Last Iona Win |
December 29, 2017 |
|
Iona 98, Niagara 93 (OT) |
| Last Niagara Win at Home |
January 31, 2013 |
|
Niagara 93, Iona 90 (OT) |
| Last Iona Win at Niagara |
December 29, 2017 |
|
Iona 98, Niagara 93 (OT) |
| Current Streak |
Niagara, W1 |
