NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. – The Niagara Department of Athletics has announced that members of the 2004-05 Niagara men's basketball team will return to campus on Friday, Jan. 10 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance.
 
Headlined by head coach Joe Mihalich and 2005 MAAC Player of the Year Juan Mendez, the team will host a Meet & Greet for fans from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Multi-Purpose Room in the lower level of the Gallagher Center. The team will also be recognized during halftime of Niagara's game against Saint Peter's.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome the championship Purple Eagles home to Monteagle Ridge," noted Associate VP for Athletics Simon Gray. "It will be our honor to recognize them for their accomplishments during the game and it will be so special to see the team reunite and engage once again with our fantastic fan base. There will be a lot of love in the Gallagher Center on January 10."

"We are honored and proud to welcome home the 2004-05 MAAC Championship and NCAA Tournament team," stated men's basketball head coach Greg Paulus. "Their historic season was built on a relentless effort and commitment to their teammates and team. We can't wait for them to be around our program and share their love for Niagara University, the people and stories from their magical season." 
 
About the 2004-05 Purple Eagles:
The 2004-05 Purple Eagles, led by Niagara Athletics Hall of Fame Head Coach Joe Mihalich, went 20-10 overall with a perfect 13-0 record inside the Gallagher Center. Their 13-5 MAAC record earned them a share of the MAAC Regular Season Title.
 
Juan Mendez was named Pepsi MAAC Player of the Year after being selected to the All-MAAC First Team for the third consecutive year. During the regular season, he ranked second in the MAAC and fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 23.6 points per game. He led the conference in rebounds with 10.3 boards per game, ranking 11th nationally. Mendez recorded 27 double-digit scoring efforts and 18 double-doubles during the regular season.
 
David Brooks and Alvin Cruz also averaged double-digit points with 17.1 and 13.2 points per game, respectively, earning All-MAAC Second Team honors.
 
The 2005 MAAC Men's Basketball Championship was held from March 4-7 at the then-HSBC Arena (now KeyBank Center) in downtown Buffalo, N.Y. The top-seeded Purple Eagles defeated No. 5 Iona 69-66 in the semifinals before dominating Rider 81-59 to capture the program's first-ever MAAC Championship.
 
Leading the way for Niagara (20-9) was senior Juan Mendez with 27 points and 13 rebounds. Mendez, who scored 18 of his points in the first half, recorded his 20th double-double of the season.
 
Sophomore Lorenzo Miles contributed 16 points while senior David Brooks added 12 points and tied his career high with nine assists. Senior Alvin Cruz finished with 14 points and six assists. Brooks and Cruz were both named to the All-MAAC Tournament team, while Mendez was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
 
As the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament, Niagara faced No. 3 Oklahoma in the first round of March Madness on March 14, 2005, at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz. Despite a game-high 22 points and 15 rebounds from senior forward Juan Mendez, Niagara fell to the Sooners 84-67, ending their remarkable 2004-05 season.