EDISON, N.J. - The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) today announced, the Friday, January 26 men's basketball matchup between Niagara University and Marist College will be flexed to ESPNU as part of the MAAC Wildcard Game package. The primetime game will tip at 7 p.m. inside the Gallagher Center in Niagara University, New York.

The top-5 MAAC matchup will feature one of the league's top offensive units in the Niagara Purple Eagles, hosting the top defensive squad in the Marist Red Foxes. The wildcard selections are the first for both programs in over two seasons with Marist's last flexed game coming on February 25, 2022, while Niagara was last chosen for a wildcard game as far back as February 7, 2020. The legendary "Taps" Gallagher Center last hosted an ESPNU game on Jan. 22, 2016 against Canisius. 

This will be the first meeting of the season between the two teams who will battle again on Saturday, March 9 during the regular season finale in Poughkeepsie, NY.

The Niagara Purple Eagles (7-9, 3-3 MAAC) are ranked fifth on the MAAC standings and are the third highest scoring team in the conference, scoring 75.9 points per game. The Purple Eagles have won four out of their last five games, which included a win over defending MAAC Champion, Iona University and a convincing 96-72 victory over Fairfield University, snapping the Stags eight-game winning streak, which was one of the longest active streaks in the nation at the time.

Niagara ranks first in the MAAC in field goal percentage (.475), three-point field goal percentage (.387), rebounding defense (30.69), bench points (27.50), and fewest turnovers (10.9) per game. The team's aforementioned 96 points scored against Fairfield are the most this season in any league game, and their 113 points scored over Buffalo State on December 10 was tied for the second most in an out of conference contest in 2023-24. Niagara will have a pair of road games leading up to the ESPNU game, with tilts at Rider University (January 19) and Mount St. Mary's University (January 21).

The Marist Red Foxes (8-6, 3-2 MAAC) currently sit in fourth-place on the MAAC charts and are the topped ranked defensive team in the league, holding opponents to a MAAC-best scoring average of 62.6 points and a field goal percentage defense of .407 per outing. Additionally, the Red Foxes are second in the conference in three-point field goal percentage (.309) and turnover margin (+2.43). Marist began 2023-24 with one of its best starts over the past 25 years, opening up the campaign with a 7-2 overall record, which also included its first 2-0 MAAC start since 2010-11. The Red Foxes most recently toppled preseason favorites, Rider, 83-60 on Sunday, ending Marist's four-game skid. Marist will play in one road and one home game ahead of the ESPNU matchup, also traveling to Mount St. Mary's (January 19), while welcoming Siena College (January 21).

The MAAC Wildcard Game format allows ESPN to pick any game scheduled for that specific date to air on ESPNU and allows the MAAC and ESPN the flexibility to showcase the best matchups as the season progresses. Future MAAC wildcard matchups will be announced at later dates.

The 2023-24 campaign culminates with the 2024 Hercules Tires MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships from March 12-16 at Atlantic City's Historic Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall for the fifth consecutive year dating back to 2020. For all information regarding the 2024 Hercules Tires MAAC Men's and Women's Basketball Championships, please visit MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on Twitter.

About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 43rd year of competition during the 2023-24 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius University, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary's University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter's University, and Siena College. Merrimack College and Sacred Heart University will join the MAAC as full members in the 2024-25 academic year, expanding the conference to 13 institutions.

Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Threads or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.