By Jonah Bronstein
There won’t be any ESPN cameras, visiting legends, or banner-raising ceremonies, but a few months from now, the Niagara Purple Eagles will likely spend more time remembering their experience in Daytona Beach, Fla. this weekend than this past Tuesday’s memorable home opener.
With three games in three days against fellow mid-major conference competition, the Glenn Wilkes Classic provides Niagara an early preview of the all-important Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament in March.
“We love in-season tournaments because you can win a championship in three days,” coach Joe Mihalich said. “It all goes back to the strategy with the non-conference schedule of getting ready for MAAC play.”
The Glenn Wilkes Classic is an exempt event that also incorporated Niagara’s season-opener at Auburn. The Purple Eagles play their first neutral-site game at the 8,500-seat Ocean Center at 11 a.m. today against Howard, a team that has struggled to score in losses at Indiana and Central Florida and was picked to finish 10th in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
Niagara will meet Central Florida on Saturday and Austin Peay on Sunday. Mihalich said Thursday morning that he and his staff would try to prepare his team for certain aspects of all three opponents during the practice schedule for later in the day.
“But without the players even realizing it,” he said.
Niagara may have to continue playing without its most gifted scorer and on-the-ball defender, Tyrone Lewis, who is still recovering from an unspecified foot injury that occurred in the first half of the loss at Auburn.
Mihalich said Lewis is no longer wearing a walking boot but that he won’t be rushed back into action this weekend, and may not even return in time for the Purple Eagles game at Mount St. Mary’s on Wednesday.
“We want to make sure that when he’s back, he’s back for good,” Mihalich said.
