Niagara Opens Hoops Season With Many Questions

Senior Guard Stanley Hodge scored a career high 20 points in Niagara's 80-63 win over Buffalo
Photograph Courtesy of Niagara University Sports Communications Department

Sophomore Guard Tyrone Lewis scored 26 points in Niagara's season opening win over Central Michigan
Photograph Courtesy of Niagara University Sports Communications Department

Athens, GA (Nov 21, 2007) - Last year was a season that, in some ways, Coach Joe Mihalich and the returning Niagara University Purple Eagles (2-0, 0-0 MAAC) would like to put behind them. A beatdown of a baseball player by some members of the basketball team, including star player Charron Fisher, led to a number of multi-game suspensions. Because the Purple Eagles do not have, and never really had, a deep bench, the results were predictable. Niagara started the season 1-6, and only averaged 63.0 points per game (PPG).

But then the suspended players returned, and things turned around. The Purple Eagles finished the remainder of the regular season 18-5, and swept through the Metro Atlantic Athletic Association Tournament with a perfect 4-0 record. Their reward for turning their season around and winning their conference championship? Despite winning 14 of their last 15 games, the NCAA selection put Niagara into the NCAA Tournament Play-in Game against Florida A&M. This game was considered a slap in the face by many Niagara fans. For others, who portrayed Niagara as a team of "thugs", this was a "just reward". In a span of 2 years, Niagara had gone from being the "feel good" story of the 2005 NCAA Tournament to being viewed as either victim or thugs, depending on the which point of view you looked at. Niagara responded by defeating Florida A&M 77-69 in the play-in game. Unfortunately, their reward was facing Number 1 seed Kansas, which quickly dispatched the team from Mount Eagle Ridge 107-67 in their first round game.

Coming into this season, Coach Mihalich is facing a rebuilding year. He must replace starters Clif Brown (16.3 PPG, 9.7 Rebounds per game), Lorenzo Miles (12.9 PPG) and J.R. Duffey (10.3 PPG), who combined for 52% of Niagara's offense last year. rebuilding has not been a kind process for Mihalich. After the 2005 NCCA tournament appearance, the 2005-2006 team went 11-18. This year, Mihalich does have Fisher back, who averaged 20.6 PPG last year, and in the first two games this year is averaging 24.5 PPG. He also has Lorenzo Miles who is averaging 22.0 PPG.

Niagara has started this season 2-0, defeating Central Michigan (0-3) and cross-town Big 4 rival Buffalo (2-2). This Saturday, they travel to Pittsburgh to take on 4-0 Duquesne. Duquesne, 4-0 for the first time in 21 years, was defeated by Niagara last year 78-74. That victory started Niagara's incredible run. This year's game presents the first challenge for Niagara's young team, and is a must win game for the Purple Eagles. Despite the fact that Mihalich says that "Our non-conference schedule is designed to make us better and prepare us for our ultimate goal, the NCAA Tournament"., their schedule is weak, unlike other MAAC teams. Siena (2-2) upset Number 20 Stanford last Saturday, has played Number 21 Syracuse (3-0), and has games scheduled against Number 3 Memphis (5-0) and St Josephs (PA) (2-1). Iona (0-4) has played Number 1 North Carolina, and has games scheduled against Number 6 Louisville (2-0), and rising Southeastern Conference member Vanderbilt (3-0). Niagara's only "marquee" opponent is long-time opponent St. John's (2-0).

The Purple Eagles are 2-0 this year, and in the past few years have played their best basketball since the Calvin Murphy era. He has led Niagara to three 20-win seasons in 10 years, where the school had only 12 in the 99 years before he arrived. The big question is what will he do this year, and if the team makes the NCAA field again, will the weak non-conference schedule hurt them come tournament time.

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