Preview: Fairfield Stags at Niagara Purple Eagles

SANBORN, N.Y. (Interstat) — A matchup of teams at opposite ends of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings unfolds Thursday when the surging Fairfield Stags visit the struggling Niagara Purple Eagles.

The Stags (15-3 overall) enter Gallagher Center riding an eight-game winning streak and sit atop the MAAC. Their most recent victory was an 86-50 rout of Siena on Monday. In stark contrast, the Purple Eagles (0-17) are still searching for their first win of the season, coming off a 62-49 loss at Mount Saint Mary’s on the same day.

Fairfield, which leads the conference in scoring margin, dominated the first meeting this season, defeating Niagara 98-42 in Connecticut on Jan. 3. The Stags have won their last three games by an average of 26.3 points.

A player to watch for Fairfield is guard Kaety L’Amoreaux, who is coming off a 26-point performance against Siena. Over her last eight games, she has averaged 18.4 points, including a triple-double (11 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) in the Jan. 3 win over Niagara. Her scoring efficiency and playmaking have been central to the Stags’ offensive firepower.

Niagara will look to guard Talia Dial to provide a spark. Dial scored a team-high 15 points in the loss at Fairfield earlier this month and is averaging 10.8 points over her last six contests. She logged 33 minutes and 11 points in the loss to Mount Saint Mary’s.

The Purple Eagles, who rank last in the MAAC in both scoring offense and defense, face a monumental challenge against a balanced Fairfield attack. Beyond L’Amoreaux, the Stags have received consistent contributions, including from Cyanne Coe, who posted 11 rebounds and four assists against Siena.

For Niagara, the home game represents a critical opportunity to break its streak, but it must find a way to slow a Fairfield team averaging 79.1 points per game during its winning streak. The Stags have held opponents to 54.6 points per game over that same span.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the Gallagher Center. Fairfield visits Canisius on Saturday, while Niagara hosts Sacred Heart the same day.