ag ara ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁team ▁represent ▁Ni ag ara ▁University ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 – 2 0 ▁NCAA ▁Division ▁I ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁season . ▁The ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les , ▁led ▁by ▁ 1 st - year ▁head ▁coach ▁Greg ▁Paul us , ▁play ▁their ▁home ▁games ▁at ▁the ▁Gall ag her ▁Center ▁in ▁Lew ist on , ▁New ▁York ▁as ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Metro ▁Atlantic ▁Athlet ic ▁Conference . ▁ ▁Pre vious ▁season ▁The ▁Pur ple ▁E ag les ▁finished ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 8 – 1 9 ▁season ▁ 1 3 – 1 9 ▁overall , ▁ 6 – 1 2 ▁in ▁MA AC ▁play ▁to ▁finish ▁in ▁a ▁three - way ▁tie ▁for ▁nin th ▁place . ▁As ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁seed ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁MA AC ▁Tournament , ▁they ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁No . ▁ 6 ▁seed ▁Mon mouth ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round , ▁ 7 6 – 7 2 . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁head ▁coach ▁Chris ▁Case y ▁was ▁fired . ▁He ▁finished ▁at ▁Ni ag ara ▁with ▁a ▁six - year ▁record ▁of ▁ 6 4 – 1 2 9 . ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁Ni ag ara ▁h ired ▁Patrick ▁Be ile in ▁as ▁their ▁new ▁head ▁coach . ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced