BUFFALO — Canisius opens its final homestand of the 2016-17 regular-season tonight when the Golden Griffins play host to Fairfield. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN3. A win on Friday secures a first-round bye in next week MAAC Basketball Championship in Albany, which would be the program’s third first-round bye in the last four years.
Canisius opens the final weekend of the 2016-17 regular-season tonight when the Golden Griffins host Fairfield. The Griffs are 17-12 overall and 10-8 in MAAC play after losing to Marist 76-74 Feb. 19 on the road. The Griffs hit 10 3-point field goals in the loss to Marist Feb. 19. In their last five games, the team is averaging 11.6 makes per game from long-range. Canisius’ 85-point effort in the win at Rider Feb. 17 marked the 16th time this season where the team has scored 80-plus points in a game. The Griffs are 12-4 in those 16 contests. Senior Kiefer Douse scored a team-high 19 points in the loss at Marist – his seventh-straight game scoring 10+ points in a game. Junior Kassius Robertson starts tonight with 87 3-point makes, which ranks third-most for a season in school history. Junior Jermaine Crumpton had 32 points and 10 boards when Canisius played at Fairfield Jan. 10. Both of those numbers are career highs.
Tonight’s game will mark the 83rd all-time meeting between these two Jesuit schools, with Fairfield holding a 46-36 lead in the series. Canisius ended Fairfield’s two-game win streak in the series Jan. 10, when the Griffs scored an 86-72 road win over the Stags in Webster Bank Arena, the Griffs’ sixth win in that building all-time. This will be the 26th time these two schools have played in the Koessler Athletic Center, with Fairfield leading that portion of the series by a 13-12 count.
Fairfield is 14-13 overall and 9-9 in MAAC play after falling to Monmouth 82-62 at home Feb. 21. As a team, the Stags rank eighth in the MAAC in scoring average at 73.4 points per game. Defensively, Fairfield is allowing 74.1 points per game, which ranks third in the conference. Junior Tyler Nelson ranks second the MAAC and ranks 50th in the nation with his 19.4 points per game scoring average. Senior forward Amadou Sidibe leads the league and ranks 27th nationally with his 9.7 rebounds per contest. Sophomore Curtis Cobb who scored a league-high 46 points in a win over Manhattan Jan. 5, ranks second on the team with his 12.9 points per game. He is one of three Fairfield players with more than 50 makes from 3-point land this year.
Canisius comes into tonight’s game with a 10-8 record in MAAC play. A win tonight would secure a first-round bye in the 2017 MAAC Tournament for the Blue and Gold. The Griffs have earned a first-round bye in the MAAC Tournament in three of the last four season, dating back to 2012-13.
The Griffs will close the 2016-17 regular-season at home Sunday, Feb. 26 when the Griffs play host to Saint Peter’s on Canisius Sports Hall of Fame Day. Game time is set for 2 p.m. Prior to the start of Sunday’s game, Canisius will honor its three seniors, playing in their final scheduled home contest in the Koessler Athletic Center. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, with the audio call will be available on Timeless WECK 1230-AM and 102.9-FM in Buffalo and through GoGriffs.com.
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