Women's Basketball 3/2/2022 3:34:00 PM

Women's Basketball Rounds Out Regular Season with Iona

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – Niagara women's basketball concludes the regular season at home Thursday afternoon against Iona. Tip-off between the Purple Eagles and Gaels will be at 2 p.m.

Last Time Out
• The Purple and White completed the season sweep of Canisius for the first time 2009-10 with an 82-78 win over the Griffs last Saturday.
• Four Purple Eagles reached double-figures, led by Angel Parker's 22 points, followed by 21 from Aaliyah Parker.
• Ally Haar and Kyra Grimshaw added 12 points each as Niagara finished the game 29-for-77 from the field.
• Angel finished the game with four steals and is now three away from tying the single-season steals record of 109.
• Aaliyah recorded her fifth double-double of the season as she grabbed 10 rebounds to go with her 21 points.
• All four of Niagara's graduating class recorded a point in today's game. Haar and Grimshaw finished with 12 points, Mason added seven, and Arianna Johnson scored two.
• Grimshaw finished second on the team with seven boards, followed by Angel and Mason with five.
• Aaliyah recorded six steals as Niagara picked up 12 as a team.
• The Purple and White finished with 20-second chance points, 40 points in the paint, and 29 points off turnovers.

Niagara Notes
• Niagara is looking for its first top-five finish in the MAAC since the 2012-13 season and first .500 or better conference winning percentage since 2017-18 when it finished 9-9 in MAAC play.
• The Purple and White will secure a top-five seed with a win and the No. 4 seed with a win and Saint Peter's loss in either of its final two games.
• Angel Parker enters the contest with Iona with 106 steals trailing only Sheryl Klick (109, 1989-90) for the Niagara single-season record. The junior is also five off the national lead in total steals, trailing only Veronica Burton of Northwestern.
• Aaliyah Parker won her eighth MAAC Rookie of the Week award on Monday, becoming the third MAAC women's basketball freshman in the last five years to win the award eight or more times.
• Niagara ranks top-15 in the nation, including offensive rebounds per game (15.4), total steals (361), steals per game (13.4), and forced turnovers per game (25.48).
• The Purple Eagles lead the MAAC in total assists (364), free throw attempts (544), free throws made (370), offensive rebounds per game, scoring offense (71.6), total steals, steals per game, turnover margin (4.96), and forced turnovers.
• The Parker sisters are Niagara's top-two scorers, with Angel scoring 17.2 and Aaliyah adding 12.3 points per game.
• Angel and Aaliyah have been NU's top-two scorers in 12 games this season, while Angel has led the Purple Eagles in scoring 14 times, and Aaliyah has paced the Purple and White five times.
• Aaliyah is Niagara's leading rebounder, averaging 6.3 rebounds, followed by Olivia Mason with 5.6 boards. Those averages are good enough for 11th and 16th overall in the MAAC, respectively.
• Ally Haar is 12th in the MAAC and second on the team with 1.6 made 3-pointers per game. She has a total of 42 makes this season.
• Maddy Yelle, who has missed the last four games, is sixth in the MAAC with a free throw percentage with a 74.6 clip at the line. The guard is also fourth in the conference, with a field goal percentage of 47.4 percent.
• Angel is second in the MAAC with 5.1 assists per game and fourth with an assist/turnover ratio of 1.1.

Series History
• Niagara won the first meeting of the season against the Gaels by a final score of 59-45.
• The Purple Eagles are 28-38 all-time against Iona.
• At home, Niagara is 16-16 all-time against the Gaels.

Up Next
• The Purple and White head to Atlantic City's famed Jim Whalen Boardwalk Hall for the MAAC Women's Basketball Championship on March 8-12.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Kyra Grimshaw: G/F; 5' 10"; Senior

#20 Ally Haar: G; 5' 6"; Senior

#10 Arianna Johnson: F; 5' 11"; Senior

#12 Olivia Mason: F; 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior

#11 Angel Parker: G; 5' 5"; Junior

#14 Maddy Yelle: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#5 Aaliyah Parker: G; 5' 9"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#23 Kyra Grimshaw
: 5' 10"; Senior
: G/F

#20 Ally Haar
: 5' 6"; Senior
: G

#10 Arianna Johnson
: 5' 11"; Senior
: F

#12 Olivia Mason
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Junior
: F

#11 Angel Parker
: 5' 5"; Junior
: G

#14 Maddy Yelle
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#5 Aaliyah Parker
: 5' 9"; Freshman
: G