Peacocks Hit The Road For Games Against Niagara, Canisius

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Saint Peter's men's basketball team is heading north to face off against Niagara and Canisius this weekend with hopes to get back in the win column.

After a tough loss to Quinnipiac at home last Friday, head coach Bashir Mason and the Peacocks (5-6, 0-3 MAAC) are shifting their focus to new conference opponents. Saint Peter's will take on the Niagara Purple Eagles on Friday, Jan. 9 at 6:30 p.m. ET before heading to Buffalo to play the Canisius Golden Griffins on Sunday, Jan. 11 at 1 p.m.

Currently, the Purple Eagles (6-8, 1-2 MAAC) sit in ninth place in the MAAC, two spots ahead of the Peacocks, while the Griffs (0-14, 0-3 MAAC) are in last and still searching for their first win of the season.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR VS. NIAGARA
Overall the Peacocks are 19-29 in away games against Niagara, however Saint Peter's has had recent success at the Gallagher Center, winning four of its last five games there dating back to 2019. The Purple Eagles are also coming off of a conference loss, falling to Mount St. Mary's by just six points on Jan. 5 so they will be more than ready to compete. They are led by sophomore guard Jahari Williamson and senior forward Olumide Adelodun who are both averaging double-digit points this season.

Despite Saint Peter's success at Niagara over the years, the Purple Eagles boast a 4-1 record at home this season and haven't lost at home since Dec. 8. It will serve as a tough test for the Peacocks who haven't played a road game since that very day, Dec. 8.

Niagara's Adelodun leads the team in rebounds per game with 5.4 and is second in total assists with 28. The 6 foot 5 inch forward has reached double-digit points in nine of 14 games this year with his highest output being 20 against Detroit Mercy.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR VS. CANISIUS
The Peacocks are 17-22 in away games against Canisius but won their most recent game at the Koessler Athletic Center, snapping a four-game losing streak there since 2021.

The Griffs are led by junior guard Paul McMillan IV who is averaging a staggering 19.7 points per game which is the second highest figure in the MAAC. He has a tendency to create his own shots and make it to the charity stripe, making 67 free throws this season to lead the conference.

Canisius ranks sixth in the MAAC in 3-point shooting percentage, cashing in on 112 shots from behind the arc. The Griffs are also the most accurate free throw shooting team in the conference with an 81.6 percent mark.