GAME 26 – Friday, February 20, 2015
Monmouth Hawks (10-15, 6-10 MAAC) at Niagara Purple Eagles (12-13, 8-8 MAAC)
Location: Niagara University, N.Y. – “Taps” Gallagher Center
Tip: 6:00 p.m.
Live Video – www.PurpleEagles.com
Live Stats – www.MonmouthHawks.com
Live Audio – www.WMCX.com
Twitter – www.Twitter.com/MUHawksWBB

The Monmouth University women's basketball team begins the MAAC's Western New York road trip Friday, when it travels to Niagara. The Hawks are coming off a 64-56 victory over hOURglass rival Saint Peter's on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Purple Eagles have won three straight games, including a weekend sweep of Siena and Marist on the road this past weekend.
 
SCOUTING THE NIAGARA PURPLE EAGLES
The Purple Eagles are led by Middletown South product Meghan McGuinness, who has scored a team-best 13.0 points per game and shot a MAAC-leading 45.8 percent from long range. 2014 MAAC Rookie of the Year Victoria Rampado has added 12.7 points and 5.8 rebounds per game and is fifth in the MAAC with a .476 field-goal percentage. Taylor McKay has also chipped in with 7.8 points per game, while Sylvia Maxwell averages 6.9 points per game. Kelly Van Leeuwen runs the show for Niagara, dishing out 4.6 assists per contest. Val McQuade provided another outside threat, averaging 10.6 points per game and 38.6 percent shooting from long range, but was lost to a season-ending injury in early January.

ALL-TIME SERIES VS. NIAGARA
Niagara leads the all-times series, 3-1. Niagara has won all three regular season contests with the Hawks over the last two years, while Monmouth defeated the Purple Eagles in the 2014 MAAC Championship First Round. This season, Niagara took a 59-45 victory on Jan. 18 at the MAC.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Jenny Horvatinovic and Sara English led a balanced Monmouth attack with 11 points each as the Hawks defeated Saint Peter's, 64-56, Sunday afternoon at the MAC. Jasmine Walker and Christina Mitchell also added nine points apiece, while Helena Kurt dished out seven assists. The Hawks shot 51.8 percent from the field, their second-highest shooting percentage of the season.