NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. (Interstat) — A stark contrast in fortunes will be on display Saturday when the Merrimack Warriors host the Niagara Purple Eagles in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball game at Volpe Athletic Center.

Merrimack (16-11) enters the final weekend of the regular season firmly in the conference’s upper tier, while Niagara (1-27) seeks to end a prolonged slump. The Purple Eagles’ lone victory came on Feb. 21, a 56-52 home win over Rider, but they have since lost two straight, including a 54-38 defeat at Quinnipiac on Thursday. In that game, guard Jordyn Williams led Niagara with seven points and four assists.

Williams, a player to watch for the Purple Eagles, has shown flashes of scoring ability, posting 13 points in the win over Rider and 11 points in a Jan. 31 loss at Marist. Consistency has been a challenge for Niagara, which has been held under 60 points in 22 of its 28 games this season.

The Warriors, meanwhile, are looking to rebound from a tough 82-67 road loss at Manhattan last Saturday. Despite the defeat, standout guard Madison Roman recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Roman has been a force for Merrimack, averaging a double-double over her last five games and scoring 20 or more points in three of her last six outings. Her versatility as a scorer and facilitator will be a primary focus for the Niagara defense.

Merrimack’s success has been built on a strong home record and balanced scoring, with Oralye Kiefer and Paloma Garcia providing consistent support to Roman. The Warriors defeated Rider 73-37 and Sacred Heart 69-47 in their most recent home contests earlier this month.

Historically, this is a relatively new conference rivalry. The teams last met in the 2024-25 season, with Merrimack winning both matchups.

Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST on Saturday, Feb. 28. The game will be a critical tune-up for Merrimack ahead of the MAAC tournament, while Niagara aims to build momentum and find a positive note to end a difficult season.