The Niagara Purple Eagles head on the road for the first time in 2017 by visiting the Rider Broncs on Sunday, January 8 at 5 p.m.
Through four conference games, the Purple Eagles are 2-2 in MAAC action. The Purple Eagles opened 2017 at home on January 2 where they fell to the Quinnipiac Bobcats, 81-78, in a game which they led for the majority of. NU rebounded in its next game with a 71-66 victory over the Siena Saints for its first win in the series in eight attempts. Niagara split its MAAC opening weekend in December. After losing a close contest at Marist, the Purple Eagles handed defending MAAC champion Iona a rare home defeat for the Purple Eagles’ first win in the series since January 2013. The Purple Eagles, who are 4-4 in their last eight games, are in search of consecutive wins for the first time since January 2016 when they defeated Saint Peter’s and Manhattan.
Two Purple Eagles rank in the MAAC top-10 in scoring; Matt Scott is sixth with 16.6 points per game and Kahlil Dukes is ninth with 16.1 points per game. Kahlil Dukes leads the MAAC and is FOURTH in the nation in free-throw percentage (.939). Dominic Robb leads the MAAC and is 31st in the nation with 2.27 blocks per game while also leading the MAAC and is 30th in the nation in total blocks (34). Matt Scott leads Niagara in scoring (16.6 ppg), rebounds (6.9 rpg) and steals (1.2 spg). A pair of Purple Eagles had 20-point games in the win over Siena on January 2 with Matt Scott and Kahlil Dukes each pouring in 22 points; it was Scott’s sixth 20-point game of the season and 16th of his career, and Dukes’ fourth this season. This was the second time this season two Purple Eagles scored 20-plus points (Shane Gatling and Dukes at Youngstown State). Niagara made a season-high 12 3-pointers against Quinnipiac on January 2. Chris Barton and Shane Gatling each made four, Marvin Prochet had three and Kahlil Dukes had one. The 12 triples are the most since hitting 12 3-pointers in a double overtime win against Quinnipiac on Feb. 1, 2015 and the most in regulation since draining 12 against Northwestern State on February 23, 2013. Niagara leads the MAAC in blocked shots per game (5.1), total blocks (76), and in free throws made (249), and is second in free throw shooting percentage (.757) and 3-point field goal percentage (.366).
Rider is 7-2 in its last nine games, including winning two straight with victories over Monmouth and Marist as the Broncs resumed MAAC play last week. The Broncs starting lineup is averaging double figures scoring – Jimmie Taylor (13.5 ppg), Kahlil Thomas (13.5 ppg), Stevie Jordan (11.9 ppg), Xavier Lundy (11.7 ppg) and Norville Carey (10.1 ppg). Rider leads the MAAC in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.300), and second in scoring defense (72.9 ppg), steals per game (7.0 spg) and field goal percentage defense (.417). Stevie Jordan’s 5.7 assists per game lead the conference while Kahlil Thomas’ 9.7 rebounds per game are second in the MAAC. The Broncs will be playing their first home game since December 16 after playing five straight on the road.
The Purple Eagles have lost seven of the last eight meetings with Rider. Niagara is 6-13 all-time at Rider and will be looking for its second win in three visits to the Broncs’ Zoo. Niagara snapped a five-game losing streak in the series with a victory at Rider on Feb. 21, 2015.
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