Part of what made being a student at NU so great was the rich basketball tradition. The basketball team is a rallying point of pride for the student body and community. Niagara is in no means a sports school, but the team acts as a unifying agent in a community which has struggled with economic difficulties much longer than the current recession we are experiencing. At only $10.00 a pop for a game in the legendary Gallagher Center, almost anyone can afford to attend at least one high energy, extremely exciting Niagara basketball game.
People often times scoff at the fact Niagara is considered a "mid-major" team, and that the school is "small." While this may be true to some degree (Niagara has nearly 4,000 students which technically earns the classification of mid-sized), Niagara offers something that few if any large scale programs offer anymore: The four-year player. You can be assured that outside of transferring, you will get to watch your favorite Purple Eagle grow from his first-year to his Senior night game. The community forms attachments to the special players: NBA Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy, the late great Phil Scaffidi, All Time Canadian born NCAA scoring leader Juan Mendez, and the reigning MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Tyrone Lewis among a host of other legendary Purple Eagle players. Sure they may be student-athletes, but to so many people looking for an escape from their difficult lives, searching for something to cheer for, to be excited about, these student-athletes represent hope. The hope that every year Niagara will compete for a championship and put "Old Niagara" in the national spotlight with an NCAA Tournament appearance.
While we would like to advance to the Big Dance every year, we know that that is not a viable option. Niagara's mid-major status dictates that only the conference champion will be invited to the dance. So we savor every opportunity with have to participate in college basketball's grandest of stages. It took 35 years before Niagara made it back to the NCAA tournament during my senior year in 2005, having not appeared since Calvin Murphy lead the team to wins in the 1970 tournament. It then took only 2 more years for another appearance. Tonight, Niagara has a chance to add another banner to the rafters of the Gallagher Center. A win tonight in the MAAC championship games nets NU it's third bid in five years, a remarkable achievement considering the history cited above.
At 26-7, Niagara stands as one of the best programs in the country this year. Argue all you want about playing in the MAAC, but Niagara still had to win its games. Niagara leads the country in wins away from home. They rank third in steals. Their RPI is 51, just percentage points behind South Carolina to crack the top 50, yet ahead of Arizona and 12 spots ahead of Penn State, who people are talking about getting at-large bids. On back to back Fridays in February they beat the RPI 47 (Illinois St.) and RPI 24 (Siena) teams, both by double digits on ESPN 2 and ESPN U in front of a national audience. They have won 11 of their last 12, including 5 in a row. And yet, if Niagara loses tonight in the rematch with the RPI 24 Siena Saints, the NCAA tournament disappears. The power conferences gobble up the majority of the 34 at large bids, leave a scant few for teams about the "major" conferences to battle for. Niagara most likely has guaranteed themselves an NIT game should they lose, despite the fact Niagara will be better than, and more than likely would have beat, many teams in the NCAA tournament. But Niagara can avoid all of that by taking care of business tonight and winning the conference championship.
Despite the high stakes, Niagara stands on the verge of greatness. With their backs to the wall, star guard Tyrone Lewis heaved a desperation 30-ft 3-pointer to try and tie their game in the conference semifinals against Rider before time expired. It banked off the backboard and through the net to force overtime. Poor free throw shooting extended the contest to a second OT, before Bilal Benn made a huge steal with seconds remaining to seal the deal for the Purple Eagles in the second extra session. Niagara is ready for their final test. They understand what it means to have "NIAGARA" written across their chests. They know they play for more than just themselves. All across the country tonight, the purple faithful will be cheering their boys on to one more victory. Win or lose, we all still beam with Purple Pride for our Alma mater, our favorite team, or our hope in despair.
Here's to old Niagara,
Onward to victory
We're out to win, team,
Every loyal, ever loyal we will be;
Get in the game and win, team,
Though the odds be great or small;
For the glory of Niagara,
We'll give our all.
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