The Niagara Purple Eagles, winners of two of their last three games, head back on the road to take on the Youngstown State Penguins on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The Purple Eagles are 2-1 in their last three games with victories over Iona and Norfolk State. Seven of Niagara’s 10 games have been on the road this season including a three and four-game road swing. The Purple Eagles picked up a road win at defending MAAC champions Iona on December 4 to snap a 10-game road losing streak. In its only home game in December, the Purple Eagles held off Norfolk State 65-61 on December 10, to improve to 2-1 at the Gallagher Center. Dominic Robb led Niagara with a season-high 18 points and tied a career-high with four blocks in the win. The Purple Eagles and Penguins met last season for the first time since the 2003-04 season with YSU pulling away for an 88-70 win at the Gallagher Center. Niagara made a season-high 10 3-pointers in the meeting last season.
Two Purple Eagles rank in the top-10 in scoring. Matt Scott is third with 17.9 points per game and Kahlil Dukes is ninth with 15.7 points per game. Kahlil Dukes is the only Purple Eagle to score in double figures in every game, including a career-high 23 points at North Texas. Kahlil Dukes leads the MAAC and is fourth in the nation in free-throw percentage (.967). Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 30th in the nation with 2.4 blocks per game while also leading the MAAC and is 25th in the nation in total blocks (24). Chris Barton has set season-highs in scoring in the last two games. Barton scored eight points at Kent State followed by a season-high 10 points versus Norfolk State. Barton made a team-high 11 free throws in the two games. Niagara leads the MAAC in blocked shots per game (4.9), free throws made (173), free throw attempts (229), and free throw shooting (.755), Niagara is second in the conference in total rebounds (384), third in fewest turnovers per game (12.4), and fourth in fewest total turnovers (124).
Matt Scott leads Niagara in points per game (17.9), rebounds per game (6.7) assists per game (3.2) and steals per game (1.1). Matt Scott is the only player in the MAAC to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals. Scott’s five 20-point games lead the MAAC.
Junior guard Cameron Morse currently leads the Youngstown State Penguins in points with an average of 23.4 points per game. Junior guard Francisco Santiago and senior forward Matt Donlan are second and third on the team in scoring with 13.2 and 11.5 points per game, respectively. Youngstown State has the top 3-point field goal defense (.327) in the Horizon League, and is second assists per game (15.3), assist/turnover ratio (1.3) and blocks per game (4.1).
Niagara and Youngstown State have met 13 times. The series resumed play last season after a 12-year hiatus. Niagara has won four of the six all-time meetings at Youngstown State, including the last two trips (1999 & 2002).
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT
