Canisius vs Niagara Prediction 2/3/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Niagara Purple Eagles and the Canisius Golden Griffins will meet on Tuesday night in a MAAC Conference matchup at the Gallagher Center in Lewiston, New York.

Niagara Purple Eagles Betting Preview

The Niagara Purple Eagles enter Tuesday evening’s contest with a 5–17 overall win-loss record, including a 2–10 mark in conference play and a 3–5 record at home. The Purple Eagles have compiled wins over Canisius and Manhattan, while dropping recent games to Sacred Heart, Fairfield and Mount St. Mary’s. More recently, in the Niagara Purple Eagles 71–70 loss to Sacred Heart earlier this month, Niagara guard Justin Page amassed 13 points (6 of 9 shooting from the field), 1 rebound, 4 assists and 1 steal illustrating his ability to play at a high level.

The Niagara Purple Eagles are averaging 62.2 points on 42.3 percent shooting from the field and 33.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc per game. The Purple Eagles are allowing opponents 72.9 points per contest.

Junior guard Justin Page leads the Niagara Purple Eagles averaging 12.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. Junior guard Trenton Walters provides Niagara with further backcourt stability averaging 8.2 points, 1.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest. Senior forward Justin Hawkins averages 8.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1 steal per game.

Canisius Golden Griffins Betting Preview

The Canisius Golden Griffins enter Tuesday’s matchup with an 8–15 record, including a 3–9 mark in conference play and a 2–10 record on the road. Canisius has amassed wins over Sacred Heart, Manhattan, and Fairfield, while dropping recent games to Mount St. Mary’s, Siena, St. Peters and the Buffalo Bulls.

These two teams met earlier this season. Who prevailed? In the Canisius Golden Griffins 59-54 loss to the Niagara Purple Aces earlier this season, Canisius forward Bryan Ndjonga accumulated 13 points (5 of 12 shooting from the field), 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block and 1 steal.

The Canisius Golden Griffins are averaging 62.5 points on 39.7 percent shooting from the field and 34.2 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Defensively, the Golden Griffins are allowing opponents 72.7 points per contest.

Senior guard Kahlil Singleton leads the Canisius Golden Griffins, averaging 13.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game. Forward Myles Wilmoth averages 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds, while forward Bryan Ndjonga adds 12.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest.

Why the Niagara Purple Eagles Will Win

  • Quality guard play. Junior guard Justin Page leads the Niagara Purple Eagles averaging 12.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game

• Enhanced motivation. The Niagara Purple Eagles enter tomorrow’s contest on the heels of a four-game losing streak.

• Frontcourt play.  Senior forward Justin Hawkins averages 8.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1 steal per game.

Why the Canisius Golden Griffins Will Win

 • Quality guard play. Senior guard Kahlil Singleton leads the Canisius Golden Griffins backcourt averaging 13.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game.

• Defensive discipline. Through 19 games played this season, the Golden Griffins are allowing opponents 72.4 points per contest.

Niagara Purple Eagles vs. Canisius Golden Griffins

This matchup features the Niagara Purple Eagles quality perimeter shooting and home court edge against a Canisius Golden Griffins team that owns the stronger overall offense but has struggled to generate consistent defensive efforts. Niagara’s prior win in the first meeting and their improved shooting splits at home give the Purple Eagles a clearer path to controlling tempo, while Canisius scoring depth keeps them competitive in the first half. With that said, I am backing the Niagara Purple Eagles to cover the 2.5 points in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Niagara -2.5