Monmouth Hawks (10-7, 4-2 MAAC) vs. Niagara Purple Eagles (6-11, 4-2 MAAC)
Friday, January 24, 2020 - 7:00 p.m. EST
OceanFirst Bank Center, West Long Branch, NJ

TV
ESPN+
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti
Analyst: Steve Bazaz

SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES
Niagara is led by Marcus Hammond at over 13 points per game, while James Towns and Raheem Solomon both score in double figures. After losing 11 of their first 14, the Purple Eagles have responded to win three in a row by a combined four points. 

NIAGARA HEAD COACH GREG PAULUS
Greg Paulus took over the Niagara program before the season started, and has six wins to his credit in his rookie season. Paulus starred for Duke from 2005-09 and completed his grad year at Syracuse, where he played quarterback. Paulus also has had assistant coaching stops at George Washington, Louisville and Ohio State.

MONMOUTH AT HOME
The Hawks are a perfect 6-0 in West Long Branch this season, including 3-0 in MAAC play. MU is outscoring opponents by 10.3 points at home, and senior Mustapha Traore scores 3.0ppg more at home than anywhere else, averaging in double figures in West Long Branch.

NIAGARA ON THE ROAD
Niagara is 2-9 on the road this season, picking up wins at Norfolk State and Iona. They have played just twice on the road in MAAC play splitting a weekend at Quinnipiac and Iona.

SERIES NOTES
-Monmouth snapped a three-game Niagara win streak in the series with a win in the 2019 MAAC Tournament opening round.
-MU won the first nine games as a conference foe.
-Monmouth is 2-0 vs. Niagara in MAAC Tournaments.

FIRST TO 10 WINS
With the win over Manhattan, Monmouth became the first MAAC team to reach 10 total wins this season, and remain the only team in the league with double-digit victories.

HIGH THREE POINT PERCENTAGE
In the win at Manhattan, Monmouth shot 61.5% from three, their best in 28 games since shooting 63.6% from deep against Siena last season on January 31.

REBOUND THE ROCK
The Hawks collected 34 defensive rebounds against Manhattan, prohibiting the Jaspers from second-chance opportunities and allowing just 10 such points. The 34 defensive rebounds is the most MU has grabbed all season, and it marked the second game all year in which Monmouth totaled 40 team rebounds (43 vs. Marist, 1/16).

DISH IT OUT
The Blue and White dished out a season-best 18 assists at Manhattan, the most by MU in a game since December 9, 2017 against Kentucky at Madison Square Garden. Ray Salnave and George Papas each dished out five assists on the night.

MCCLARY'S CAREER RUN
Marcus McClary posted his first career double-double in the win over Marist, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds. The 11 rebounds is a career best, six more than his previous career high that he had accomplished six times. He followed that up by reaching double digits in the first half against Manhattan and finished with a career high six field goals made and one point shy of his career high. It is the second time in his career McClary has gone into doubles in two straight games, with the last time coming in the 2019 MAAC Tournament quarterfinals and semifinals.

SALNAVE APPROACHING 1,000
With teammate Deion Hammond recently having reached the mark, Ray Salnave is 57 points shy of becoming the 44th Hawk to reach 1K and the 25th at the DI level. If he can get there in the next three games, he will tie Monmouth Hall of Famer Corey Albano as the 10th fastest to reach the mark. 

HAMMOND, SALNAVE ATOP THE LEAGUE
Deion Hammond is atop the MAAC with 47 made 3PT field goals, leading Rich Kelly by three makes. Hammond is also the second highest scorer in total points in the conference, just 10 behind Kelly. Salnave is tops in the league in three-point percentage at 50.8%, and second in free throw shooting percentage at 84.8%.

HALL OF FAME NIGHT
Monmouth will celebrate its most recent Hall of Fame inductees at halftime of tonight's game. This year's inductees include Katie Degen '07 (women's lacrosse, Ryan Kinne '11 (men's soccer) and Bobby Smith '06 (men's track and field/football) as well as members of The Touchdown Club, who championed bringing the sport of college football to Monmouth in 1993.  The group will be formally inducted on June 12, 2020.