Women's Basketball 3/9/2022 2:00:00 PM

Women's Basketball Plays No. 5 Siena Thursday Afternoon in Atlantic City

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, NY – The Purple and White take on No. 5 Siena in the Quarterfinal Round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Tournament on Thursday, March 10 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

Last Time Out
• An 18-0 run to start overtime led to a 66-50 win over Iona in Niagara's regular-season finale last Thursday.
• Angel Parker became the single-season steals leader (113) with seven steals against the Gaels.
• The junior added 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Olivia Mason recorded a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.
• Aaliyah Parker contributed 10 points, nine rebounds, and three steals in the win.
• Niagara finished the game shooting 32.4 percent from the field and 58.3 percent from the line.
• Niagara out-rebounded Iona 40-33, with 19 coming on the offensive end.
• The Purple Eagles finished the contest with 21 steals and forced 39 turnovers, leading to 39 points.

Niagara Notes
• The Purple Eagles clinched the No. 4 seed and a first-round bye with an 11-9 mark in league play - their first winning season in MAAC action in 17 years.
• The last time NU earned a first-round bye in the MAAC Tournament was in 2013 as the No. 5 seed.
• Niagara sisters Angel and Aaliyah Parker received All-MAAC recognition for their stellar seasons. Angel was a unanimous First Team selection, and Aaliyah was a consensus selection to the All-Rookie Team.
• Aaliyah Parker was also unanimously named MAAC Rookie of the Year Wednesday morning.
• Four Purple Eagles, Ally Haar, Olivia Mason, Maddy Yelle, and Brooklyn Jones, were named to the All-Academic Team.
• Angel finished the regular season top-four in the MAAC in 10 different statistical categories; fourth in assist/turnover ratio (1.14), third in field goal attempts (420), field goals made (119), free throw attempts (135), free throws made (96), points per game (17.5), and first in steals (113) and steals per game (4.2)
• Aaliyah ended the regular season first on the team in rebounding (6.4) and second in scoring (12.2), field goal percentage (46.6), and steals (2.2) per game. She was third in the MAAC with 59 total steals, and her per-game average ranked fourth in the conference.
• Yelle led the Purple Eagles with a 46.9 field goal percentage, making 75-of-160 shots. The senior guard scored a season-high 20 points against Manhattan on Dec. 19.
• Haar was second on the team with 43 made 3-pointers, making a career-best six on two different occasions. The first in the season opener against Loyola and again on Feb. 3 at Fairfield.
• Kyra Grimshaw was a mainstay off the bench for NU this season, recording 5.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. She scored a season-best 23 points in the Purple Eagles' OT win at Canisius on Jan. 9.
• Grimshaw led NU with an 81.0 percent mark at the charity stripe.
• Sydney Faulcon finished the season with a 72.4 percent clip at the line, third on the team. She was also tied for fourth in rebounding with 3.4 per game.
• An unsung hero for Niagara is Olivia Mason, a senior averaging 6.9 points and 5.8 boards per contest.
• As a team, Niagara leads the MAAC in scoring (71.4), offensive rebounds per game (15.5), steals (382), steals per game (13.6), turnover margin (5.5), forced turnovers (25.96), free throws attempted (568), and free throws made (384).

Against the Saints
• Niagara swept the regular-season series with Siena with an 82-69 win at home and a 65-58 victory in Loudonville, N.Y.
• All-time Niagara is 34-49 against the Saints.
• The last win for NU over Siena in the MAAC Tournament was in 1997, an 81-64 win for the Purple and White.

Up Next
• The winner between Niagara and Siena will take on the winner of No. 1 Fairfield and No. 8 Iona on Friday.

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Players Mentioned

#30 Sydney Faulcon: F; 6' 2"; Junior

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

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

#2 Brooklyn Jones: G; 5' 7"; Sophomore

#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

#30 Sydney Faulcon
: 6' 2"; Junior
: F

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

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

#2 Brooklyn Jones
: 5' 7"; Sophomore
: G

#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