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Ranked Foe For NU
Niagara opens play in the Progressive CBE Classic at No. 24/25 Missouri Tigers on Thursday at 8 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN3.com and WatchESPN.
The Purple Eagles are coming off of a draining 102-93 overtime win against Central Connecticut in their season opener from the Gallagher Center on Monday night where they faced a 20-point first half deficit. Niagara was led by the backcourt tandem of sophomore
Marvin Jordan and
Juan'ya Green, who each scored 23 points, as NU improved to 8-1 inside of the Gallagher Center in November since 2007.
Niagara will now turn its attention to Missouri, which is ranked 24th in this week’s ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and 25th in the AP Poll. This will be the Purple Eagles’ first game against a ranked opponent since losing at No. 23 Villanova, 77-62, on Nov. 19, 2008.
Missouri (2-0) started play in the Columbia Regional with an 81-63 win against Mercer on Monday to extend its school-record winning streak over non-conference opponents at home to 60 games. The Tigers have five players averaging in double-figures scoring through the first two games of the season, led by senior Kim English (18.5 ppg).
Ready for Action
- Niagara is 12-76 all-time against ranked teams.
- Niagara is 5-8 in road opener under Joe Mihalich.
- NU will play South Dakota State, Mercer and Sam Houston in the Macon Subregional of the CBE Classic in Macon, Ga. from Nov. 21-23.
- Niagara is 11-7 in in-season tournaments in the last four seasons.
- The Purple Eagles are 1-4 all-time versus Big 12 schools.
- The Purple Eagles have opened their road schedules against the Big East (Villanova), SEC (Auburn) and Georgia Tech (ACC) in the last three seasons.
- Niagara leads the conference in scoring, blocked shots and steals
- Marvin Jordan set a career-high in free throws with 10 in the season-opening win.
-
Scooter Gillette tied a career-high with three blocks in the season opener.
How To Tune In
NU fans can listen live to all the action from “The Voice of the Purple Eagles” Todd Callen. The matchup can be heard live on WWKB 1520 AM. Internet listeners can listen free online through Purple Eagles All-Access. ESPN3.com and WatchESPN will broadcast the game.
On The Court
No. 25 Missouri Tigers (2-0)
Missouri is 2-0 on the season with wins over SE Missouri State and Mercer and the Tigers entered the season ranked for the first time since the 2003-04 season. Senior guard and Preseason All-Big 12 honoree Marcus Denmon is one of four players averaging double-digit scoring with 16 ppg. Classmate Kim English leads the team with 18.5 ppg and sophomore Phil Pressey scored a career-high 22 points versus Mercer.
Against the Big 12
Niagara is 1-4 all-time against current Big 12 teams with the lone win coming during the John ‘Taps’ Gallagher era (Texas A&M in 1949). The Purple Eagles have faced two Big 12 teams in the NCAA Tournament in Oklahoma (2005) and Kansas (2007).
CBE Classic
For the second straight season, Niagara will participate in a classic run by the Gazelle Group when the Purple Eagles play in the 11th annual CBE Classic from Nov. 17-23. The Purple Eagles open their four-game classic at Big 12 power No. 25 Missouri on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. NU, which is slated in the Macon Subregional, will face South Dakota State on Nov. 21, Mercer on Nov. 22 and Sam Houston State on Nov. 23. It will be the first meetings against all four schools.
In-Season Tourneys
The Purple Eagles have enjoyed playing in in-season tournaments in recent seasons. NU is 11-7 during these tournaments in the past four seasons. NU has brought back some hardware to Monteagle Ridge. In 2007, Niagara went 2-0 to win the Cable Car Classic in Santa Clara, Calif. and in 2008 the Purple Eagles won the Philly Hoop Classic.
Ranked opponents
Niagara will play its first ranked opponent in over three years when it faces No. 25 Missouri on Thursday in the first game of the CBE Classic. This will only be the fourth meeting against a ranked team since March 2004. The last meeting occurred at No. 23 Villanova on Nov. 19, 2008 (Lost, 77-62).
Niagara is 12-76 all-time against ranked opponents with the last victory was an upset of fourth-ranked St. John’s, 62-59, on Dec. 15, 1984 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center.
Scintillating Opener
Niagara tipped off the season with one of the most dramatic season openers in program history. The Purple Eagles rallied from a 20-point first half deficit and held off to defeat Central Connecticut in overtime, 102-93. It was Niagara’s first overtime game to start season since beating local rival Buffalo, 105-103 in double overtime on Nov. 19, 1999.
Century Mark
The Purple Eagles scored 102 points in the season opener versus Central Connecticut. The last time NU broke the century mark was Feb. 27, 2009 as Niagara downed first-placed Siena, 100-85, in a nationally televised game on ESPNU from the Gallagher Center.
Green Light
Freshman guard Juan’ya Green made an impactful debut as a Purple Eagle. Green racked up 23 points, a game-high six assists and five boards in 43 minutes. The 23 points tied a team-high and were the most points by a freshman in debut in over a decade, surpassing redshirt freshman Antoine Mason’s 18 points last season.
Welcome To ‘Taps’
Four Purple Eagles made their collegiate debuts at the Gallagher Center in the season-opening win against Central Connecticut. Freshmen Juan’ya Green,
Ameen Tanksley and
Joe Thomas and junior college transfer
Ali Langford all saw action. Green scored 23 points and played in a team-high 43 minutes, Tanksley scored nine points, Thomas had 13 points and five rebounds and Langford scored seven point, had six rebounds and two assists.
MAAC Leader
After the first weekend of play, Niagara leads the conference in scoring (102.0), scoring margin (+9.0), blocked shots (8.0), steals (9.0), turnover margin (+6.0), and offensive rebounds (22.0).
