GAME DAY INFORMATION |
DATE: January 24, 2026
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LOCATION: Gallagher Center | Niagara Falls, NY |
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GAME DAY LINKS |
LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO |
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THE LEAD
Looking for a third-straight win and a second-straight home-and-home sweep, the Pioneers close out their longest road trip (by length) of the season on Saturday afternoon at Niagara. Tip off from Niagara Falls, NY is set for 2:00 p.m. with all of the action in the MAAC contest available live on ESPN+.
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
After closing out their non-conference schedule with a 2-7 record, the Pioneers reset and stand at 7-3 in MAAC play. Leading the Pioneers is senior guard Amelia Wood who has scored double figures in the last 14 games and 17 of the 19 games this season. For the season she is one of two players to average double figures at 14.9 ppg. Additionally, Wood is second on the team in rebounding with a 6.2 per game average and leads the team with 42 assists, 47 steals and 16 blocks. After increasing her career-high in scoring to 21 in the New Year's Day win over Niagara and matching that against Marist, junior forward Nalyce Dudley is second in scoring average at 12.3 ppg while shooting at a team-high 47.5 percent (86-of-181) with that average increased to 53.4 percent when shooting from inside the arc. Freshman point guard Sophie Nascimento has also been a big factor to the success of late with her 9.5 per game scoring average in MAAC games, while she is averaging 12.3 points over the last six games. As a team, the Pioneers are shooting 40.0 percent from the field (390-of-976) with 82 of the 390 baskets from outside the arc. Despite a season-low 11 turnovers in the January 3 meeting against Canisius, the biggest area of improvement for the Pioneers needs to come in ball control as they are currently turning the ball over at a clip of 18.5 turnovers per game.
SCOUTING NIAGARA
Still in search of their first win of the season, Niagara enters Saturday's game with an 0-18 record and an 0-9 mark in MAAC play having met Mount Saint Mary's and Fairfield in its last two game.s Averaging 50.9 points per game, Niagara is led by Senior guard Talia Dial who is the lone player averaging double figures at 12.4 ppg. More than half (39) of her 70 field goals on the season have come from outside the arc. Rookie guard Chasity Wilson follows Dial in the scoring column with an 7.5 ppg average while leading the team with 25 assists. As a team, the Purple Eagles are shooting at a 31.6 percent clip (325-of-1,027), including 68 three pointers.
SERIES HISTORY vs Niagara
·      Sacred Heart and Niagara meet for the third time in the history of the two programs
·      The first meeting came last season in the Pioneers inaugural campaign in the MAAC with Sacred Heart doubling up the Purple Eagles 86-43 at the Pitt Center.
·      The Pioneers earned their second win over Niagara on New Year's Day when they opened this season's home-and-home series with an 84-53 victory.Â
NEXT TIME OUT
Sacred Heart will return home for back-to-back home games beginning with the first and only meeting this season against the Manhattan Jaspers on Thursday, January 29. With it being the only game between the two teams in the regular season, the result could prove heavy for either team with the potential for tie breakers that could determine seeding in the MAAC Championship. Tip-off in the MAAC battle is set for 7:00 p.m. with all of the action available live on ESPN+.
