GAME NOTES: The Niagara Purple Eagles continue their four-game road trip tonight, as they invade the Yanitelli Center to tangle with the Saint Peter's Peacocks in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play. The Eagles are off to a slow start on their road swing, losing their first two games. The back-to-back losses are a first this season for Niagara, which was easily defeated at Marist, 84-65, on Monday. With the setback, the Eagles dipped to 11-6 overall and 5-3 in conference play. As for SPC, it has been just dreadful this season and it has dropped five straight and 12 of its last 13 games. On Monday, the Peacocks fell to 0-11 on the road with a 70-64 setback at Fairfield. It was the seventh loss in eight league games for SPC, which now sits at just 4-14 overall. As for the all-time series, Niagara owns a 38-24 advantage over SPC and it swept a pair of meetings a season ago.

The Eagles shot a horrific 27.0 percent from the field, including a dismal 3- of-27 showing from long range, as they were blown out at Marist earlier in the week. The team was also dominated on the boards, 50-35, and outscored in the paint, 38-26, in the loss. Tyrone Lewis guided the team in defeat with 26 points and seven rebounds, while Charron Fisher turned in 17 points and nine boards. For the season, Fisher ranks among the top scorers in the nation at 26.9 ppg and he is also ripping down a team-high 9.1 rpg. Lewis is next in line with 15.2 ppg and he is also a good defender, recording a team-best 34 steals. Stanley Hodge puts forth 12.3 ppg and 5.6 rpg for Niagara, which is averaging a solid 75.8 ppg despite shooting just 39.4 percent from the field on the season.

The Peacocks made just three three-pointers compared to seven by Fairfield and they were also outscored at the charity stripe, 13-7, in the six-point setback. SPC shot a solid 48.2 percent from the floor to keep things close, but it committed 15 turnovers that proved to be costly. Todd Sowell paced the squad in the loss with 16 points and seven rebounds, while Darrell Lampley chipped in with 11 points. On the season, Sowell is one of the few players around averaging a double-double with team-highs of 13.1 ppg and 10.6 rpg. Wesley Jenkins is second to him with 12.3 ppg on 40.7 percent shooting from three- point range, while Raul Orta contributes 10.4 ppg. Overall, the Peacocks are turning in 67.2 ppg, but they are allowing 72.3 ppg.

Niagara is the more explosive team here and it should be able to rebound behind Fisher and company tonight.