COLLEGE BASKETBALL
NU, St. John’s to pause series
The Niagara University-St. John’s men’s basketball series is calling a timeout for a year.
The two programs won’t play during the 2008-09 season but plan to resume the series in 2009-10 at the Gallagher Center, Niagara Athletic Director Ed McLaughlin said Tuesday.
Niagara and St. John’s have met 98 times since 1908 with St. John’s winning 72 (including 30 of the last 35), but this will be the first time in 26 years the two programs won’t play.
“It’s one of those scheduling quirks that happens in college athletics,” McLaughlin said. “We couldn’t pin the date down and we went back and forth. We couldn’t get the right date to work for both teams, but we’ll pick up again next year and the rivalry will continue.”
Last season, Niagara (19-10) pulled off a historic 77-73 victory over the Red Storm, its first win at Carnesecca Arena in 44 years. Niagara has beaten St. John’s twice in the last four seasons.
“It’s a great rivalry and I’m disappointed in the sense that here’s a long rivalry and we have to take a year and not play,” Niagara coach Joe Mihalich said. “We’re disappointed we’re not going to play but the series is not ending, it’s just on hold for a year.”
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