Niagara women’s basketball clashes with Saint Joe’s on Tuesday night

NIAGARA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

• The Purple Eagles won their first game of the season on Nov. 17, defeating Morgan State, 67-57, in their final game of the Preseason WNIT.
• Jai Moore led the Purple Eagles in scoring with a career-high 21 points. She also had a team-high four assists and three steals.
• Emerald Ekpiteta recorded her first career double-double with a career-high 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds.

• This is the first time in program history that the Purple Eagles have been invited to participate in the Preseason WNIT.
• The Purple Eagles faced Iowa State in the first round of the tournament on Friday, Nov. 9. Niagara fell to the Cyclones, 95-35.
• Jai Moore led the Purple Eagles with 12 points.
• Maggie McIntyre added 11 points for Niagara.
• Emerald Ekpiteta led the team in rebounding with a career-high 12 rebounds.
• The Purple Eagles fell to Yale, 67-64, in their first game in the consolation round.
• NU won its first game of the season against Morgan State, 67-57, in their final game in the consolation round.

• 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.

• Guard Alyssa Monaghan leads the Hawks in scoring, averaging 9.0 points per game.
• Monaghan and guard Katie Jekot lead the team in rebounds, each averaging 4.3 rebounds per game.
• Through their first three games, the Hawks are being outscored by their opponents, 174-131.