ALBANY — The No. 9 Niagara Purple Eagles men’s basketball team will face off against the No. 8 Quinnipiac Bobcats at 5 p.m. Thursday, kicking off the 2017 MAAC Tournament First Round at the Times Union Center.
The Niagara Purples dropped both meetings to the Quinnipiac Bobcats this season. In the first meeting 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. In the second meeting on February 4, Niagara cut a 26-point second half deficit to six points with 43 seconds remaining before falling, 89-81. Kahlil Dukes led all scorers with a then-career-high 29 points. This will be the second all-time meeting between the programs in the MAAC Tournament. NU and Quinnipiac met in the 2014 MAAC Tournament Quarterfinals in the Bobcats’ inaugural season in the MAAC. The Purple Eagles’ late rally fell short in an 89-80 defeat to the third-seeded Bobcats. The winner will face No. 1 seed Monmouth in the MAAC Quarterfinals on Friday at 7 p.m.
Matt Scott earned All-MAAC Third Team selection for the second consecutive season. Scott is the first Purple Eagle named to an All-MAAC team in consecutive seasons since Antoine Mason (2012-14). Scott was also named to the HoopsHD’s All-MAAC team. Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 29th in the nation in blocks per game (2.26) and is first in the MAAC and is 20th in the nation in total blocks (70). Robb set the sophomore single-season record, which was held by Joe Arlauckas who had 66 during the 1984-85 season. Robb has also passed Arlauckas for second place on the single-season list and is TWO behind the single-season record holder Mark Henry. Kahlil Dukes is FIFTH in the nation in free-throw percentage (.922). Dukes, who has had streaks of 20 and 17 consecutive made free throws, had a career-high 12 free throws at Quinnipiac on February 4. Dukes is on the verge of setting the single-season program record in free throw percentage which is currently held by Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy who shot 88.1 percent at the line during the 1969-70 season. Matt Scott scored a career-high 34 points to lead all scorers in Niagara’s meeting with Iona on February 12. Scott also set a season-high with 11 field goals made and a career-high with six 3-pointers made. His 34 points are the most by a Purple Eagle in four seasons. After scoring a total of nine points in three previous games, Marvin Prochet erupted for a career-high 22 points to lead all scorers in Niagara’s regular season finale against Fairfield. Niagara leads the MAAC and is 44th in the nation in blocked shots per game (4.7) and leads the MAAC and is 27th in the nation in total blocks (147).
Since defeating Niagara on Feb. 4, the Bobcats are 1-6 including losing six straight. Three Bobcats are averaging double figures – freshman guard Mikey Dixon (16.8 ppg), freshman guard Peter Kiss (13.3 ppg) and junior forward Chaise Daniels (13.1 ppg). Mikey Dixon and Peter Kiss were unanimous selections to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. The duo has combined to win the MAAC Rookie of the Week award 10 times, including the last eight. Quinnipiac leads the MAAC and is seventh in the nation in offensive rebounding (14.1 per game), and is second in the conference in total rebounding (39.7 per game).
Against the Bobcats, Niagara has won twice — both at the Gallagher Center. NU is winless in six meetings away from home. NU earned its first win in the series with a double overtime victory on Feb. 1, 2015 and won its second in the conference opener in December 2015.
from PurpleEagles.com via IFTTT