The Niagara Purple Eagles begin their conference road schedule this week with a pair of games beginning on Friday against the Quinnipiac Bobcats.
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.
• The Purple Eagles are looking to start conference play 2-1 for the first time since the 2012-13 season.
• Niagara had its four-game win streak versus Quinnipiac, which was the longest in the series, snapped in the previous meeting between the programs. NU has won the last two times the teams have played at Quinnipiac.
• The Purple Eagles and Bobcats rank third and ninth, respectively, in fewest turnovers in the NCAA.
Tipoff Tidbits
• 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 (3.2) and turnovers per game (11.3), have committed ten turnovers or less in six straight games.
• Niagara is second in the MAAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.1) and has had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio in eight straight games.
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James Towns is 43 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 (3.1).
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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.
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James Towns leads the Purple Eagles in scoring with 14.5 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
Raheem Solomon (11.6) and
Marcus Hammond (10.8 ppg) are both averaging career-highs in scoring.
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Nick MacDonald has scored in double figures in two of the last three games, scoring a career-high 11 points at Syracuse and versus Manhattan.
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Greg Kuakumensah has scored in double figures in the last four games, averaging 13 points per contest, and averaging 7.8 rebounds per game. Kuakumensah has two double-doubles in the last four games.
• Six Purple Eagles - MacDonald, Brown, Solomon, Towns, Hammond, Kratholm - are shooting at least 80 percent at the free-throw line.
On The Court
Quinnipiac Bobcats (7-5, 2-0 MAAC)
• The Bobcats have won five of their last six games, including three straight. Quinnipiac beat Bowling Green to close out its non-conference schedule and opened its MAAC schedule with wins over Marist and Rider.
• Quinnipiac leads the nation in fewest fouls committed. The Bobcats also rank in the top-10 in 3-point field goals per game (10.8) and fewest turnovers (150).
• The Bobcats rank first in the MAAC in seven categories including scoring margin (2.2) and 3-point field goals per game (10.8).
• Rich Kelly is averaging a MAAC-leading 17.6 points per game. Jacob Rigoni (10.5 ppg) and Tyrese Williams (10.4 ppg) also average double figures scoring.
• Kevin Marfo leads the MAAC and is second in the nation in rebounds per game (13.3) and offensive rebounds per game (4.5).
Against The Bobcats (Quinnipiac Leads 10-6)
• The Purple Eagles have won four of the last five meetings in the series that started during the 2010-11 season.
• Niagara has won the last two trips to Quinnipiac after previously dropping its first five visits.
Last Meeting - February 3, 2019
Quinnipiac 84, Niagara 73
NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Five Purple Eagles netted double figures scoring in Niagara's 84-73 defeat to the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Sunday.
| The Series |
Quinnipiac Leads, 10-6 |
| Last Game |
February 3, 2019 |
|
Quinnipiac 84, Niagara 73 |
| Last Niagara win |
January 19, 2019 |
|
Niagara 75, Quinnipiac 72 |
| Last Quinnipiac win |
February 3, 2019 |
|
Quinnipiac 84, Niagara 73 |
| Last Niagara win at Quinnipiac |
January 19, 2019 |
|
Niagara 75, Quinnipiac 72 |
| Last Quinnipiac win at Home |
February 4, 2017 |
|
Quinnipiac 89, Niagara 81 |
| Current streak |
Quinnipiac, W1 |
