BUFFALO — After spending much of the season on the road in 2016-17, the Blue and Gold get a chance to settle into a month that features five of its eight games to be played, at the Koessler Athletic Center.
It comes at a critical time of the season as well, as the Griffs enter the contest with a 7-15 overall mark and a 6-7 MAAC record. Each games’ importance is heightened with the ability to change the standings as the Griffs try to improve in a wide-open MAAC. Canisius got back on the winning track on Thursday as the squad grinded through a tough offensive peformance to defeat Manhattan 58-48 at the Koessler Athletic Center.
Sara Hinriksdottir proved to be the difference, scoring all of the Blue and Gold’s 11 points in the first quarter and finishing the game with 20 for the game. Lauren D’Hont also was a threat from the field, notching 15 points for the game. Canisius’ defense smothered the Jaspers holding them to under 10 points in the first and third quarters (eight points each). Leading the team offensively is Sara Hinriksdottir who averages 15.0 points per game and 5.7 rebounds per contest. She also shoots near 50 percent with a mark of 46.8 percent from the field. D’Hont is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.7 points per game, to go along with a 4.2 rebound per contest mark. Also flirting with a double-digit average is Margret Halfdanardottir, who averages 9.4 per contest. The long-range specialist is shooting 47.3 percent from beyond the arc. Tamara Miskovic is the team’s assist leader, averaging 3.0 helpers per contest this season. The Blue and Gold is averaging 60.3 points per game, while opponents are tallying 65.8 points per contest.
Iona is riding a season-best five game winning streak, coming off a 65-55 victory over the Niagara Purple Eagles. Sophomore Alexis Lewis leads Iona averaging 16.7 PPG, ranking third in the MAAC. Senior Marina Lizarazu leads the MAAC in APG (3.7) and sits third in STL/G (2.4) Iona’s NCAA defensive ranking has skyrocketed 51 spots over the last 13 days; currently rank 47th (58.5 PGG). The Gaels have won all eight games against Canisius since Head Coach Billi Godsey took the helm.
Iona holds a 34-24 series advantage in the history between these two squads, The Gaels are currently on an 11 game winning streak, as well as having won 14 of the last 15 and 19 of the last 22 meetings. It hasn’t mattered whether the game is played in Buffalo, N.Y or New Rochelle, N.Y., as the Gaels are 18-11 overall at Iona and 15-11 when playing at the KAC. While Iona has gotten the better of the Griffs in the series history, Canisius has bested the Gaels twice in postseason play, holding a 2-1 record in the MAAC tournament.
On Thursday the Blue and Gold outrebounded the Manhattan Jaspers, taking down 42 boards for the second-highest total this season. There is something magic in the number 40 when it comes to rebounds for the Griffs as Canisius is a perfect 3-0 this season when taking down 40-or-more rebounds. Likewise the trend spans three years as the Griffs are 12-1 in the last three seasons, when taking down 40-or-more rebounds.
Sara Hinriksdottir has been the story of the year so far for Canisius and is tracking to have a historic year for the Blue and Gold. The sophomore is averaging 15.0 points per game, which is the most a Canisius leader in points has averaged since the 2008-09 season when Marie Warner averaged 16.0 points per game. Hinriksdottir has tallied 329 total points has already surpassed last years’ leader, Crystal Porter, who scored 301. The largest overall total in recent history was Marie Warner’s total of 529 set in 2008-09.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
