GAME NOTES: Riding a six-game win streak, the Niagara Purple Eagles put their unblemished Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record on the line tonight as they face off against the Siena Saints at the Gallagher Center. Last Saturday, the Purple Eagles moved out to a perfect 4-0 in league action as they set down Manhattan on the road in a 96-86 decision. The win was the seventh in the last eight games for Niagara, which has lost just three times in 2007-08. As for the Saints, they've been alternating wins and losses over the last six games, yet are still 3-1 in conference play. On Tuesday night, the group let a 53-52 outing fall in favor of the visiting Fairfield Stags. The all-time series shows Siena ahead by just two games over the Purple Eagles, 42-40. The most recent meeting between the squads took place last March, with Niagara capturing an 83-79 triumph.

Even though Siena shot just 26.1 percent from the field in the first half, the team was never really out of it versus Fairfield on Tuesday night. The Saints drew to within a single point with 1:44 to play in the second half on a tip-in by Ryan Rossiter, but neither team managed to score after that in the 53-52 finish. Rossiter tallied 11 points and came up with nine rebounds for Siena, while Edwin Ubiles tallied a team-best 15 points in the setback. Ubiles is now the leading scorer for the Saints with his 16.4 ppg, ahead of Kenny Hasbrouck who is putting up 16.1 ppg. Both players have shown an ability to hit the shot from the perimeter, but Ubiles is more concerned with working closer to the basket, resulting in his 53.6 percent from the floor overall. Siena might be at a disadvantage again tonight though, perhaps missing out on Alex Franklin (15.4 ppg, 7.8 rpg) who is listed as probable with a back injury.

Considering the Purple Eagles utilized just two players off the bench on Saturday, their 96-point effort against Manhattan on the road is rather remarkable. Although he shot just 8-of-24 from the field, Charron Fisher continues to tear up the competition as he tallied 27 points, matching the offensive production set forth by Tyrone Lewis who was a more economical 8- of-17 from the floor. Having a huge game of his own was Benson Egemonye who registered a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Not only is he the top scorer in the MAAC, Fisher also entered this week as the nation's top scorer with his amazing 27.4 ppg. He is tops on the team with nine and a half rebounds per game as well, and as close as he plays to the basket, Fisher should certainly be shooting better than 38.8 percent from the field right now. Lewis steps in with 15.8 ppg for a program that is making only 40.3 percent of its total shots over the course of 13 outings.

A matchup between the two heavyweights in the MAAC, Niagara being at home should certainly be an advantage for the squad and having Fisher on the inside doesn't hurt.