Hamden, Conn.- Niagara women's basketball extended their win streak to nine games on Thursday in a back-and-forth game versus Quinnipiac on the road with a 66-60 overtime win.
First Quarter
Niagara started the first quarter slow, only scoring seven points. Aaliyah Parker was the leading scorer recording three points. Marlie Dickerson and Saige Glover both scored two. The Purple Eagles forced nine turnovers while recording four steals. Chardonnay Hartley recorded three steals and Ary Hicks recorded one. The Purple and White outrebounded the Bobcats 12-9. Niagara's leading rebounder was Destiny Strother pulling down four while six other Purple Eagles pulled down at least one.
Second Quarter
The tables turned as Niagara found their offensive touch scoring 16 points compared to Quinnipiac's eight. Aa. Parker was the leading scorer in the second quarter with eight points, four other Purple Eagles scored two points. The Purple and White scored 14 points in the paint. Niagara forced 11 turnovers while scoring eight points coming off turnovers. Four different Purple Eagles forced a turnover in the second quarter.
At the half
Both teams were tied at 23 apiece. Six different Purple Eagles found their way to the stat sheet, leading the scoring was Aa. Parker with 11, Glover recorded four, Amelia Strong, Angel Parker, Dickerson, and Alyssa Rossignol all had two points. Niagara forced 20 turnovers with eight being from steals. The Purple and White scored 20 points in the paint.
Third Quarter
The Purple and White took their first lead of the game at the 9:04 mark in the game with Strong getting a second chance layup. Niagara upped their lead by five in the third quarter and did not allow Quinnipiac to take the lead in the third quarter. The Purple Eagles outrebounded Quinnipiac 12-9 in the quarter with eight coming from offensive rebounds as they put back eight points from second chances.
Fourth Quarter
The Bobcats forced an overtime period by scoring 21 in the final 10 minutes of the game. Both An. Parker and Hartley both had five points in the final 10 minutes of the game. The Purple Eagles scored the only fast break points in the fourth scoring three. Niagara shot 54.5% from the field in the fourth while shooting 50% from three. The game was tied at 58 apiece.
Overtime
The Purple Eagles found their way to a win, scoring eight points compared to Quinnipiac's two. Niagara capitalized on their two steals to score five points from steals. Aa. Parker scored four points in overtime while her sister An. Parker scored three and Hartley scored one. The Purple and White were yet again dominant in rebounds, doubling Quinnipiac rebounds 8-4.
Niagara Notes
·      Aa. Parker led all scorers with 23 points while she also came down with 13 rebounds for her first double double of the season. Both the 23 points and 13 rebounds are season highs for the junior.
·      Niagara forced 34 turnovers, they are now averaging 26.9 forced turnovers, the Purple Eagles lead both the MAAC and all of Division I.
·      The Purple Eagles are now on a nine game winning streak. Niagara is now tied for the seventh longest winning streak in Division I.
·      Over the winning streak Niagara is scoring on averaging 80.6 points per game while allowing just 62.9 points per game.
·      Niagara has forced 279 turnovers over the last nine games which is an average of 31.0 forced turnovers per game.
·      Niagara had 28 points off turnovers in the game, Niagara is averaging 24.8 points off turnovers this season.
·      The Purple Eagles had 36 points in the paint, it is the 16th time this season that Niagara has had 30 or more points in the paint.
·      Hartley set a new career high with six steals in the win.
·      Niagara had 18 steals in the game, it is the 23rd game this season in which Niagara has had double digit steals.
·      Niagara has now won four straight games against Quinnipiac, entering last season Niagara was 1-18 against Quinnipiac all-time.
·      The Purple Eagles are in sole possession of second place in the MAAC as they are 12-4 in MAAC play. They are two games up on Manhattan and Siena who are both 10-6.
·      Niagara has now tied its nine game winning streak from last season. Niagara has only had four double digit win streaks in program history, the last being a 10 game winning streak in 1980-81. The others are a 11 game winning streak in 1977-78, a 12 game winning streak in 1979-80, and a 16 game winning streak in 1978-79.
Up Next
The Purple Eagles take on MAAC leader Fairfield on Saturday on the road. Tip off is scheduled for 2 PM against the Stags.
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