NIAGARA UNIV. — The NU men’s Purple Eagles basketball team will host the defending MAAC champion Iona Gaels at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Gallagher Center.
NU is coming off a victory over rival Canisius on Friday behind a second half onslaught en route to a 94-81 win to sweep the season series. The Purple Eagles shot 78.6 percent (22-for-28) from the field in the second half and made 8 of 9 from 3-pointers, including making their first seven of the half, en route to dropping 55 second half points. Niagara finished with a season-high 36 field goals made and had its second highest point total (94), field goal percentage (.581), assists (19) and steals (7) of the season. The Purple Eagles spoiled the Gaels’ banner night when they defeated Iona, 74-58, on Dec. 4. The win snapped a seven-game skid in the series while picking up their first win at Iona since February 2 2009. Niagara held Iona to its lowest home point total in the last seven seasons.
Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 16th in the nation in blocks per game (2.58) and is first in the MAAC and NINTH in the nation in total blocks (67). Robb set the sophomore single-season record, which was held by Joe Arlauckas who had 66 during the 1984-85 season Robb is tied with Arlauckas for second place on the single-season list and is five behind the single-season record holder Mark Henry. Kahlil Dukes is FOURTH in the nation in free-throw percentage (.928). Dukes, who has had streaks of 20 and 17 consecutive made free throws, had a career-high 12 free throws at Quinnipiac on Feb. 4. 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.
Dukes has had at least four assists in nine straight games, including tying a career-high nine assists against Canisius. Dukes led all scorers with a career-high 29 points and Matt Scott scored 20 points for his team-leading 11th 20-point game against Quinnipiac on February 4. Scott’s 11 20-point games are third in the MAAC. 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 Jan. 28. His 10 career double-doubles are fourth most in the program since the 2006-07 season. Niagara leads the MAAC and is 26th in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.2), leads the MAAC and is 13th in the nation in total blocks (136) and is first in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.396).
Iona had its six-game win streak snapped when the Gaels were edged by the Siena Saints, 81-79, on Feb. 7. It was the Gaels’ second home loss of the season with the first coming against Niagara in their home opener. Iona leads the MAAC in 3-point field goals made per game (9.8) and free throw percentage (.767). The Gaels are second in the conference in field goal percentage (.455), 3-point field goal percentage (.395), assists per game (15.7) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.3). Four Gaels are averaging in double figures – Jordan Washington (17.4 ppg), Sam Cassell Jr. (11.8 ppg), Jon Severe (11.8 ppg) and Rickey McGill (10.4 ppg).
Niagara defeated Iona at the Hynes Athletic Center for the first time since the 2008-09 season back on Dec. 4, when the Purple Eagles defeated Iona, 74-58. The Niagara victory snapped its seven-game losing streak against Iona for Niagara’s first win in the series since a 93-90 overtime win on Jan. 31, 2013 at the Gallagher Center.
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT
