The Niagara Purple Eagles continue their road weekend with a meeting against the four-time defending MAAC champions and preseason favorites Iona Gaels on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Scene Setter
• The Purple Eagles opened their MAAC schedule with a 75-66 victory over the Fairfield Stags on January 3. Niagara shot a season-high 45 percent from 3s and tied a season-high in assists with 16. NU was edged by Manhattan two days later to split its MAAC opening weekend.
• NU opened its conference road slate with a narrow defeat to Quinnipiac. The Purple Eagles led 52-51 with less than three minutes remaining before the Bobcats went on an 8-0 run.
• The Purple Eagles and Gaels have split the season series the last three seasons. Both teams protected their home court last season.
•
Raheem Solomon averaged 14 points, scoring in double figures in both games, and averaged four boards in both meetings with Iona last season.
Marcus Hammond scored a team-high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds in last season's visit to Iona.
Tipoff Tidbits
•
Marcus Hammond scored a career-high 36 points to lead all scorers at Quinnipiac on January 10. Hammond's 36 points are the most by a Purple Eagle in two seasons and are tied for the most by a MAAC player this season.
• Niagara leads the MAAC and is 17th in the nation in free throw percentage (.773).
• The Purple Eagles, who lead all MAAC teams in turnover margin (3.5) and turnovers per game (11.1), have committed ten turnovers or less in seven straight games.
• Niagara is first in the MAAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1) and has had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in nine straight games.
•
James Towns is 39 points away from reaching the 1,000-point threshold.
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Marcus Hammond is second in the MAAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2). Hammond leads the Purple Eagles and is eighth in the MAAC in assists per game (3.0).
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Greg Kuakumensah collected his third double-double of the season with a team-high 13 points and a game-high 10 rebounds against Manhattan on January 5. Kuakumensah, who had double-doubles versus Bryant and Syracuse, is tied for fourth in the MAAC in double-doubles.
•
James Towns leads the Purple Eagles in scoring with 13.8 points per game. Towns, who have come off the bench after starting the first four games of the season, has scored in double figures a team-best 10 games.
• Sophomore guards
Marcus Hammond (12.6 ppg) and
Raheem Solomon (11.0) are both averaging career-highs in scoring.
• Six Purple Eagles - MacDonald, Brown, Solomon, Towns, Hammond, Kratholm - are shooting at least 80 percent at the free-throw line.
On The Court
Iona Gaels (3-7, 1-2 MAAC)
• The Gaels, the four-time defending MAAC champions, were tabbed as preseason favorites in the MAAC Preseason Poll.
• Tajuan Agee and E.J. Crawford were named to the Preseason All-MAAC First Team, and Asante Gist was selected to the second team.
• Iona defeated Rider, 69-66, on January 10 to snap a three-game losing streak.
• Three Gaels are averaging double figures scoring - E.J. Crawford (17.4 ppg), Tajuan Agee (14.0 ppg), and Asante Gist (10.1 ppg). Crawford is second in the MAAC in scoring.
• The Gaels lead the MAAC in steals per game (8.7) with five players averaging at least one steal per game, led by Isaiah Washington (1.8).
• Tajuan Agee leads the Gaels and is fourth in the MAAC in rebounding with 8.0 per game.
Against The Gaels (Iona Leads 48-37)
• Niagara and Iona have split the last six meetings, including splitting the season series in each of the last three seasons.
• The Purple Eagles have won two of the last three trips to the Hynes Center.
• Niagara was edged by Iona in the last meeting which halted a two-game win streak in the series and at Iona.
Last Meeting - February 10, 2019
Iona 79, Niagara 76
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – In a game that featured 21 lead changes, the Purple Eagles were nipped in the final seconds by the Iona Gaels, 79-76, on Sunday afternoon.
| The Series |
Iona Leads 48-37 |
| Last Game |
February 10, 2019 |
|
Iona 79, Niagara 76 |
| Last Niagara win |
January 11, 2019 |
|
Niagara 95, Iona 90 |
| Last Iona win |
February 10, 2019 |
|
Iona 79, Niagara 76 |
| Last Niagara win at Iona |
February 16, 2018 |
|
Niagara 85, Iona 84 |
| Last Iona win at Home |
February 10, 2019 |
|
Iona 79, Niagara 76 |
| Current streak |
Iona W1 |
