POUGHKEEPSIE — Canisius plays its final road game of the 2016-17 season on Sunday when the Golden Griffins play at Marist. Canisius has won four of its last five and five of its last six entering Sunday. Of Canisius’ 17 win this year, 10 have come on the road, which ties the team with Monmouth for most road victories among MAAC schools.
Canisius plays its final regular-season road game this afternoon when the Golden Griffins take on Marist in Poughkeepsie, New York. The Griffs are 17-11 overall and 10-7 in MAAC play after defeating Rider 85-77 Friday night in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The win for Canisius was the team’s 10th road win of the season, the most for the program since 1994-95, when the Griffs won 11 road contests. Canisius’ 85-point effort at Rider Friday 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 game-high 21 points at Rider, his sixth-straight game with double-figures in the scoring column. Junior Kassius Robertson hit two 3-pointers at Rider. His 86 makes from long-range this season ties his personal career high, set last year. Senior Phil Valenti is just the 11th player in school history to score more than 1,200 career points and grab 600-plus career rebounds.
This will be the 45th all-time meeting between Canisius and Marist, with the Golden Griffins holding a 27-17 advantage in the series. The Griffs have won 13 of the last 19 games between these two programs, dating back to 2008-09. In the first meeting between the teams this season, Canisius defeated Marist by a score of 91-58. The 33-point win for the Griffs is the largest margin of victory for either team in this series, which dates back to the 1997-98 season. Canisius defeated Marist 91-58 back on Jan. 14 when the teams met in Buffalo. In that game, Canisius junior Kassius Robertson tied a school record with nine 3-pointers en route to a career-high 30 points.
Marist is 6-22 overall and 3-14 in MAAC play after losing to Iona 95-88 at home Friday night. The Red Foxes have lost nine straight, 10 of their last 11 and 18 of their last 20 since winning three-straight games in early December. As a team, Marist is averaging 68.7 points per game, which ranks 10th in the MAAC. The Red Foxes come into today’s game ranked 10th in the league in scoring defense, allowing 79.5 points per contest. Senior Khallid Hart leads the team and ranks fourth in the MAAC in scoring average with his 17.5 points per game. Sophomores Brian Parker and Ryan Funk are each good for 12.6 and 12.0 points per game, respectively. Parker leads the team and ranks 13th in the MAAC in rebounding average with his 5.9 rebounds per contest. Funk, a native of Clarence, New York, ranks second in the MAAC with his 2.9 3-point makes per game.
Canisius’ win at Rider Friday night was the Griffs’ 10th true road win of the season, tied for the most in the MAAC this year along with Monmouth. The 10 road victories are the most for the program since 1994-95, when the Griffs earned 11 road wins en route to a 21-14 record and a trip to the NIT semifinals in Madison Square Garden.
The Griffs will open the final weekend of the 2016-17 regular-season on Friday when the Blue and Gold hosts Saint Peter’s in the Koessler Athletic Center. Game time is set for 7 p.m. 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.
from GoGriffs.com via IFTTT