ST. BONAVENTURE (2-2) @ NIAGARA (0-3)
Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2010 - 2 p.m.
TV: None | Radio | Video | Livestats
Game Notes: St. Bonaventure | Niagara
All-Time Series vs. Niagara
55th Meeting
St. Bonaventure Leads, 31-23
Last Meeting: Nov. 11, 2009
St. Bonaventure 66 Niagara 49
Head Coaching Matchup
Jim Crowley - St. Bonaventure
(174-201 overall, 135-164 @ school)
vs. Niagara: 7-3
Kendra Faustin - Niagara
(24-73 overall, same @ school)
vs. St. Bonaventure: 0-3
St. Bonaventure vs. Niagara
Series Quick Facts
Overall: St. Bonaventure Leads, 31-23
At St. Bonaventure: St. Bonaventure Leads, 23-9
At Niagara: Niagara Leads, 14-8
At Neutral Site: N/A
Most St. Bonaventure Points: 100 (Nov. 27, 1990)
Most Niagara Points: 95 (Dec. 11, 1989)
Fewest St. Bonaventure Points: 34 (1973)
Fewest Niagara Points: 27 (1972)
Largest St. Bonaventure Margin: 29 (twice, last: Nov. 26, 1996)
Largest Niagara Margin: 41 (1977)
Unknown Territory
St. Bonaventure enters Wednesday afternoon's matchup with its record at .500 for the first time since Feb. 15, 2007, when it left Saint Joseph's with a loss to even its record at 13-13. Not a single player on this current Bonnies' roster had ever been at, or below, .500 until earlier this year when they were 1-1 and then 1-2.
Wednesday Afternoon's Matchup
This will be the 55th meeting between St. Bonaventure and Niagara, with the Bonnies holding a 31-23 series lead. The Purple Eagles won 15 of the first 21 meetings, but since then the Bonnies have gone 25-8 against their Little 3 rivals, including a current streak of three straight.
Last Time Out
St. Bonaventure got three double-figure scorers for the first time this year and never trailed on their way to a 66-47 win over Quinnipiac. The Bonnies used a 13-0 run in the first half and an extended 12-3 run to open the second half to pull away.
Last Time Against the MAAC
St. Bonaventure defeated Marist on Dec. 6, 2009 in its last meeting with a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference member. All-time, the Bonnies are 67-57 against MAAC schools - including a current stretch of 7-1 - with their last loss to one coming at Marist on Dec. 20, 2008.
Keep An Eye On...
Chelsea Bowker: After not scoring, turning the ball over three times and committing four fouls in just 15 minutes of action against Morgan State, the sophomore responded against Quinnipiac with career highs of 16 points, nine rebounds and 3-pointers attempted (7), while tying a career high for 3-pointers made with three.
Free Throw Shooting: After finishing 5th in the country last year at 80.3 percent, the Bonnies are back at it again this year, currently connecting at a 81.3 percent clip from the line.
Scouting Niagara
- Niagara has opened 0-3 for the second consecutive year after falling at Akron Sunday afternoon, 77-58
- The Purple Eagles return their leaders in points per game, assists and steals from last year's team which finished 13-18 overall and 9-9 in the MAAC
- Niagara was tabbed to finish 6th in the MAAC Preseason Poll
- Senior forward Liz Flooks and sophomore guard Kayla Stroman were named to the Preseason All-MAAC Second Team
- Stroman was named the MAAC Rookie of the Year last year
- Flooks is just 71 points shy of becoming the 21st member of Niagara's 1,000-point club
- Freshman Katie Gattuso was named MAAC Rookie of the Week on Nov. 15 after starting, playing 31 min & scoring 7 pts
Head Coach Kendra Faustin
One dribble at a time, Kendra Faustin is building a contender in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) as she begins her fourth season as the Niagara women's basketball head coach. The resurgence of the Niagara women's basketball program is evident during the 2009-10 season.
Picked to finish last in the 2009-10 MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, Niagara soared to a 9-9 conference record including winning seven out of eight games and had a five-game winning streak for its longest streak in five seasons.
In the midst of their win streak, the Purple Eagles snapped the nation's third longest win streak when they defeated the Marist Red Foxes on Jan. 31, 2010 for their first win over Marist since February 2004.
Niagara continued to surpass expectations on its way to the MAAC Tournament, where the Purple Eagles defeated fourth-seeded Manhattan in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals for the first time in five seasons.
