The Niagara Purple Eagles continue their three-game road swing on Saturday, February 4 against the Quinnipiac Bobcats at 7 p.m.
Niagara started its Connecticut road trip with an 81-61 defeat to the Fairfield Stags on February 2. Matt Scott led NU with 18 points to tie for game-high marks, while Kahlil Dukes and Dominic Robb scored 16 and 10 points, respectively. Prior to their defeat at Fairfield, the Purple Eagles were 3-1 in their last four games with wins over Saint Peter’s, Canisius and Rider. In the first meeting of the season on January 2, Quinnipiac rallied from a 14-point second half deficit to pull out a last-minute win in Niagara’s conference home opener. The win by the Bobcats was the first by a visiting team in the series in five attempts.
Matt Scot was named MAAC Player of the Week on January 30 after averaging 18.7 points per game, 9.7 rebounds per game and 3.0 assists per game as NU went 2-1 last week. Kahlil Dukes is FIRST in the nation in free-throw percentage (.942). Dukes has made his last 16 free throw attempts. Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 14th in the nation in blocks per game (2.63) and is first in the MAAC and EIGHTH in the nation in total blocks (63). Robb is tied with Juan Mendez (2004-05) for fourth on the single-season blocks list. Dominic Robb had a game-high six blocks at Fairfield to join Joe Arlauckas (1984-85) as the only Purple Eagle to have multiple six-plus blocks games. Robb had a career-high seven blocks against LIU Brooklyn on December 21. Kahlil Dukes has had at least four assists in five straight games, including tying a career-high nine assists against Canisius. Matt Scott registered his 10th 20-point game of the season when he led all scorers with 20 points against Manhattan on January 26. His 10 20-point games are second in the MAAC. Niagara scored 51 first half points against Canisius on January 23 which is its highest first half point total since scoring 51 against Marist on January 3, 2013. Matt Scott recorded his fourth double-double of the season with 18 points while leading the game with 11 rebounds in the win versus Rider on January 28. His 10 career double-doubles are fourth most in the program since the 2006-07 season. Niagara’s 15 3-pointers against Monmouth on January 14 are the most since draining 16 3-pointers at Oregon State to open the 2012-13 season. The 15 3-pointers are tied for third most in program history and are tied for the second most in the MAAC this season. Niagara leads the MAAC and is 24th in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.4), and leads the MAAC and is 11th in the nation in total blocks (129). NU is second in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.390).
The Bobcats are 2-5 in their last seven games, including losing three straight. Three Bobcats are averaging double figures – freshman guard Mikey Dixon (16.7 ppg), freshman guard Peter Kiss (13.2 ppg) and junior forward Chaise Daniels (11.8 ppg). Mikey Dixon and Peter Kiss have combined to win the MAAC Rookie of the Week award six times this season, including the last four. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC and is 12th in the nation in offensive rebounding (13.7 per game), and is second in the conference in total rebounding (39.1 per game).
Both of Niagara’s wins have come at the Gallagher Center as the Purple Eagles are winless in four previous trips to Quinnipiac. NU earned its first win in the series with a double overtime victory on February 1, 2015 and won its second in the conference opener in December 2015.
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT
