The Griffs are looking to avenge a 91-84 loss to the Purple Eagles on Jan. 23 at N.U.
This game is part of Griffin Week, presented by UNYTS. The game is also presented by Orange Theory and Just Pizza — with free pizza for students, compliments of Just Pizza (between games).
Canisius closes out its regular-season series with long-time rival Niagara tonight. This will be the 181st all-time meeting between the two Western New York schools. The Golden Griffins are 15-10 overall and 8-6 in MAAC play after beating Saint Peter’s 72-70 on the road Feb. 6. Canisius comes into tonight’s game with four players averaging better than 10.0 points per game in the scoring column. The road win at Saint Peter’s on Feb. 6 gives Canisius nine “true” road victories this season, which is the most in the MAAC. Senior Kiefer Douse scored a career-high 22 points in the win at Saint Peter’s Feb. 6. He is good for 11.1 points per game in MAAC games this year. Freshman Malik Johnson scored a career-high 11 points at Saint Peter’s, while dishing out seven assists against no turnovers. In the team’s last five games, Johnson has been credited with 29 assists and he’s been charged with just four turnovers.
This will be the 181st all-time meeting between these two Western New York schools, with Niagara holding a 98-82 lead in the series. Canisius has won six of the last eight meetings between these two schools, which are separated by 24 miles. Niagara snapped the Griffs’ three-game winning streak in the series with a 91-84 win in the Gallagher Center Jan. 23. Tonight’s game is the 21st time in series history where the Griffs and Purple Eagles have played in the Koessler Athletic Center. Niagara leads the series in Canisius’ on-campus building by a 12-8 count. Canisius has played more overtime games against Niagara (19) than any other rival. Canisius leads that portion of the series 10-9. The last regular-season overtime game between these rivals was on Feb. 15, 2012.
Niagara comes into tonight’s game with an 8-17 overall mark and a 5-9 record in league play. The Purple Eagles have dropped two straight and three of their last four since beating Canisius at home Jan. 23. As a team, Niagara is good from 3-point land, where the Purple Eagles are shooting 38.9 percent from long-range, second-best in the MAAC. The team hits 7.7 3-point field goals per outing, which ranks sixth in the MAAC. Junior forward Matt Scott leads the Purple Eagles in both scoring and rebounding, where he is good for 17.4 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. He had 18 points and 12 boards when the teams met in January in the Gallagher Center. Junior Kahlil Dukes ranks second on the team and ninth in the MAAC in scoring average at 16.2 points per game. His 4.2 assists per game ranks seventh in the league, and he was good for 17 points and nine helpers in the first meeting between the two squads earlier this season.
Canisius’ 72-70 win at Saint Peter’s Feb. 6, came thanks to the last-second heroics of freshman guard Malik Johnson, who scored the game-winning lay-up with 0.1 seconds left on the clock. The last-second victory was the Griffs’ first since former guard Billy Baron hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the second overtime to lift Canisius to a 94-91 win on Jan. 10, 2014.
The Griffs close out the 2016-17 regular-season series with Iona on Tuesday, Feb. 14, with game time is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3 and the audio call will be available on Timeless WECK 1230-AM and 102.9-FM in Buffalo and through GoGriffs.com.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT
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