Niagara women’s basketball faces Big 4 rival Buffalo

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

• The Purple Eagles fell to Iowa State, 95-35, in the opening round of the Preseason WNIT on Friday, Nov. 9.
• Jai Moore led the Purple Eagles with 12 points and Maggie McIntyre added 11 points.
• Emerald Ekpiteta had a team-high, and career-high, 12 rebounds.

• The Purple Eagles defeated the Bulls last season, 75-62, in the Gallagher Center on December 18, 2017.
• It was the first time Niagara had beaten Buffalo since 2004, snapping the Bulls’ 12-game winning streak against Niagara and taking the 19-18 advantage in the all-time series.
• The Bulls would later go on to make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championships.

• Niagara returns eight letterwinners from last year’s squad which went 13-18 overall and 9-9 in the MAAC, the team’s best record since the 2014-15 season.
• The Purple Eagles were the No. 6 seed in the MAAC Championships. NU defeated No. 11 Saint Peter’s, 60-48, in the first round before falling to No. 3 Siena, 71-60, in the quarterfinals.
• Returning for the Purple Eagles this season are seniors Kharysma Bryant and Adila Gathers, juniors Jai Moore, Maggie McIntytre, Morgan Baughman and Dagny Davidsdottir and sophomores Emerald Ekpiteta and Claire Wanzer.
• Moore had a breakout 2017-18, averaging 10.3 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Moore scored in double figures in 17 games. She was named to the 2018-19 Preseason All-Big 4 First Team and the Preseason All-MAAC Third Team.
• McIntyre, Niagara’s starting point guard, averaged 5.8 points and 2.9 rebounds last season. She was named to the 2018-19 Preseason All-Big 4 Second Team.
• Bryant, who was also named to the 2018-19 Preseason All-Big 4 Second Team, averaged 6.2 points per game and 3.2 rebounds per game.

• The Bulls opened their season on November 11, defeating Maryland Eastern Shore 69-63.
• Guard Cierra Dillard leads Buffalo in scoring, averaging 23.0 points per game.
• Forward Courtney Wilkins averages 15.0 points per game.
• Forward Brittany Morrison leads the team in rebounding, averaging 6.0 rebounds per game.