December 30th, 2023
Costly Turnovers Kill Win Streak for Women’s Basketball in 53-48 Loss
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins women’s basketball team were back at home at the Koessler Athletic Center this afternoon for the 1st time since November 20th as they kicked off a 3-game homestand, beginning with the Akron Zips in a non conference game. Coming into this matchup, the Golden Griffins were on a 5-game win streak. They were looking to continue their winning ways back at home, but the Zips had other plans in place as they came in ready, defeating the Golden Griffins 53-48.
In the 1st quarter, it was off to a very slow start as the Golden Griffins were unable to get anything going. They struggled from hitting any shots as they went 3-19 in the 1st quarter that carried over into the 2nd quarter, bringing them down to a 23-9 deficit at one point during the quarter. The Golden Griffins turned a corner and shot over 71% from 3-point range throughout the 2nd quarter. The Golden Griffins went on a 18-1 run to take a 3-point lead at 27-24 into the half.
The 3rd quarter was back-and-forth with the game being tied after 3 quarters at 37. The Zips took over the lead with a 7-2 run to start the 4th quarter. The Golden Griffins would struggle to tie the game as they got close with a 3-pointer made by Graduate Student guard Grace Heeps to make it 50-48, but it was all the Golden Griffins could get as the Zips would add 3 free throws to finish off the game with a final score of 53-48.
The Golden Griffins committed 21 turnovers and the Zips took advantage scoring 24 points off of them. The Golden Griffins also committed 19 personal fouls to the Zip’s 7 personal fouls in the game. Although the Golden Griffins did continue to get their scoring going as Junior guard Athina Lexi and Heeps both finished in double digits in points, but the Zips defense held Sophomore forward Sisi Eleko in check as she finished with only 6 points, going 3-12 on field goals.
Golden Griffins Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh commented postgame about the loss overall.
“I think we started poorly, we played well in the 2nd quarter, [but] we weren’t locked into details and then we didn't finish the game strong,” said Coach Nusseibeh. “You cannot beat quality teams if you are playing bits of portions of games. You have to find a way to lock in and execute for a full 40 minutes.”
With the loss, the Golden Griffins dropped to 7-4 overall (2-0 in MAAC). Next, they will continue their homestand back into conference play against the Mount St. Mary Mountaineers on Thursday with tipoff being at 11 AM and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 48 points, 41 rebounds, 21 turnovers, 1 block, 3 steals, 34.5% FG, 32% 3PT, and 0-0 on free throws.
Leading Scorer: Lexa 14 Points, 7 Rebounds, and 2 Assists.
Zips: 50 points, 36 rebounds, 11 turnovers, 5 blocks, 11 steals, 33.3% FG, 7.7% 3PT, and 70% FT.
Leading Scorer: Junior forward Reagan Bass 14 Points and 8 Rebounds.
December 27th, 2023
Yellow Jackets Power 4-Goal 3rd, Earn Series Split Over Ice Hockey
Written by Ryan Patota
On December 16th, the Canisius Golden Griffins ice hockey team returned to the ice at the LECOM HarborCenter in downtown Buffalo, New York on a back-to-back as they were right back at it to host the AIC Yellow Jackets. Coming off the last game, the Golden Griffins wanted to build on a win that they got on the previous day beating the Yellow Jackets 3-2. However, the Yellow Jackets dominated the Golden Griffins in the 2nd game of the series, winning by a final score of 6-1.
It started from puck drop as the Yellow Jackets outshot the Golden Griffins 17-2 in the 1st period alone, but Freshman goalie Ethan Roberston was solid in net making 16 saves in the period as the Yellow Jackets kept the pressure on and scored the only goal in the period with just over a minute remaining in the period, taking a 1-0 lead into the 1st intermission.
The Golden Griffins would need to come up with some kind of answer during the intermission to stop the Yellow Jackets pressure, but that answer never came as the Yellow Jackets would add another goal in the 2nd period. They would continue to pile on the goals in the 3rd period to take a 5-0 lead.
The Golden Griffins would break the shutout bid as they scored on a short-handed goal by Junior forward Matt Vermaeten, his 5th of the season, which was unassisted. The scoring would conclude later on in the game as the Yellow Jackets added an empty-net goal to finish the scoring and the Yellow Jackets 6-1 victory.
Overall, the Golden Griffins were being outplayed and outshot throughout the game. Both teams struggled on the power play as well as the Golden Griffins went 0-7. With the loss, the Golden Griffins dropped to 5-9-1 overall (5-5-3 in conference play).
After the game, the Golden Griffins Head Coach Trevor Large spoke about the loss and about having a long 12-day break.
“AIC had more compete than we did tonight, and it is really hard to win when the opponent out competes you,” said Coach Large. “It gives us a good chance to evaluate our game, and we can recharge and get healthy then get ready to re attack.”
The Golden Griffins will return to the LECOM Harborcenter for a non conference weekend series against the RPI Engineers, beginning on December 29th. Puck drop is slated for 3 PM.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins- 20 shots, -22 rating, 31% in faceoffs, 14 penalty minutes, and 15 blocked shots.
Robertson recorded 30 saves with 5 goals allowed.
Yellow Jackets- 36 shots, -19 rating, 69% in faceoffs, 14 penalty minutes, and 5 blocked shots.
The Yellow Jackets Freshman goalie had 19 saves with 1 goal allowed.
December 26th, 2023
Late 4th Quarter Run Sinks Men’s Basketball 78-70
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins men’s basketball team returned to the court on Friday night after a long 13-day break to continue their road trip as they traveled to High Point, North Carolina, taking on the High Point Panthers in their final non-conference game of the campaign for the Golden Griffins. The Golden Griffins were looking for a bounce back game, coming off a loss against the Pittsburgh Panthers.
Basketball can be a game of runs, and it showed in Friday’s game. At the beginning of the contest, the Golden Griffins jumped off to a 10-2 lead less than 3 minutes in. Junior guard Tre Dinkins had 5 of the first 10 points for the Golden Griffins in what ended up being a big scoring night for Dinkins, ending up with a season high 25 points. However, the High Point Panthers answered with a 10-2 run themselves to tie the game. From there, both teams traded 7-0 runs and then the game went back-and-forth as neither team led by more than 3 points, leading to a Panther lead of 38-35 at halftime.
The Panthers extended their lead up to 7 to begin the 2nd half. The Golden Griffins kept chipping away and got a lead when Junior guard TJ Gadsden hit a 3-pointer to put the Golden Griffins ahead by 1. The Golden Griffins knotted the game at 62 with less than 6 minutes remaining, but the Panthers would go on another run again to take a 5-point lead. The final knockout punch for Panthers would be a 9-3 run which giftwrapped the win.
The Panthers had all their starters go into double digit points in scoring and the Golden Griffins were unable to stop them. The Golden Griffins dropped to 6-6 overall with their 2nd straight non-conference loss. The main takeaway of this game for the Golden Griffins is that they were outrebounded by the Panthers 40-26 which is what Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon commented after the game.
“I think our guys competed; it was a hard fought game, [but] we needed to do a better job rebounding,” said Coach Witherspoon. “I think we ran out of gas for a little bit, but I think that is a good team we played and we have to get better from this. This stretch is a delicate balance for us. You want rest and recovery, but you need to work to get better. And then we added exams in there. It's a really delicate balance. The hope is that the rest and recovery overrides the rust. We have a little break again here, and we need to get ready for the next one."
The Golden Griffins will have another almost 2-week break and will be back in action on January 5th as they will return to MAAC play and to the road in Emmitsburg, Maryland to face the Mount St. Mary Mountaineers. Tipoff is set for 7 PM.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 70 points, 26 rebounds, 11 turnovers, 2 blocks, 8 steals, 45.8% FG, 47.6% 3PT, and 75% FT.
Leading Scorer: Dinkins 25 Points, 1 Rebound, 4 Assists and 1 Steal.
Panthers: 78 points, 40 rebounds, 16 turnovers, 3 blocks, 7 steals, 48.3% FG, 36.8% 3PT, and 75% FT.
Leading Scorer: Junior guard Duke Miles 17 Points, 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists, and 1 Steal.
December 22nd, 2023
Women’s Basketball Extend Win Streak to 5 with 65-59 Victory Over Penguins
Written by: Daeshaun Williams
The Canisius Golden Griffins women’s basketball team took a horrible loss to the Illinois Fighting Illini on November 26th. Since that loss, the Golden Griffins have won 4 straight games, 2 of the 4 being in conference play. The Golden Griffins are 6-3 overall on the season heading into Thursday’s matchup against the Youngstown State Penguins. Throughout the win streak, the Golden Griffins have been led by Sophomore forward Sisi Eleko and Junior guard Athina Lexa. Eleko leads the Golden Griffins in all major statistical categories while Lexa is coming off of a career night against the Binghamton Bearcats, and she also continued her dominance over the last couple of games. Not willing to lose to win streak now, the Golden Griffins looked to continue their winning ways against the Penguins.
The 1st quarter was under way, and it was a back-and-forth matchup with the Golden Griffins and Penguins trading baskets with each other. The Golden Griffins used an Eleko 3-pointer to go up 15-12 with 4 minutes left in the 1st quarter. It didn’t take long for the Penguins to strike back and connect with a 3-pointer of their own to tie the game up.
Just as time was winding down in the 1st quarter, the score tied at 18, Lexa made a layup with 3 seconds left, giving the Golden Griffins a 20-19 lead to end the quarter. Eleko had 9 of the Golden Griffins' 20 points in the quarter.
The 2nd quarter got started, and after allowing a 3-pointer, the Golden Griffins began to jump out on an 11-2 run to dominate the 2nd quarter against the Penguins. The Golden Griffins used that run to outscore the Penguins 11-6 in the quarter, giving the Golden Griffins a 31-25 lead at half. At this pace it seemed for certain that the Golden Griffins would win the game and extend the win streak, but then the 3rd quarter began.
Nothing went right for the Golden Griffins in the 3rd quarter. The Golden Griffins allowed 2nd chance points that hurt them; they rushed wide open shots; in some cases, they just missed the open shots. It didn’t help that the Golden Griffins had a lot of turnovers in the quarter that led to easy fastbreak points for the Penguins. The Golden Griffins were outscored 25-6 in the 3rd quarter.
To begin the 4th quarter, the Golden Griffins were down 50-37. It looked like the win streak would end that night until the Golden Griffins got locked into the game. They began a 3-point barrage on the Penguins, hitting 6 three-pointers in the last 11 minutes to secure the win. To end the game, the Golden Griffins flipped a switch offensively and defensively. They outscored the Penguins in the 4th quarter 28-9 and won the game 65-59, extending their win streak to 5 games.
The Golden Griffins overcame a 16-point deficit for the first time in 4 years. Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh spoke about the comeback after the game.
“Mindset,” said Coach Nusseibeh. “I think there was a lid on the basket in the 3rd, [and] we struggled to get stops. When we can’t get stops, we can’t do what we wanna do offensively.”
Basketball is definitely a mental game in itself and this comeback win by the Golden Griffins is a perfect example. Their next game will be on December 30 at 1 PM against the Akron Zips as the Golden Griffins will return to the Koessler Athletic Center for their 1st home game since November 20th.
Key Players
Eleko 16 PTS 12 REB 6 OREB
Sophomore guard Brooklyn Thrash 12 PTS 2 STL 3 BLK
Senior guard Mackenzie Alexa 11 PTS 6 AST 3 STL
December 19th, 2023
High Flying Women’s Basketball Griffs Make It 4 Straight Wins
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins women’s basketball team were back in action yesterday morning as they played the Marist Red Foxes in the McCann Arena in Poughkeepsie, New York. Coming into this matchup, the Golden Griffins were fresh off their 1st MAAC win of the season, defeating the Siena Saints by 2 points on Saturday afternoon. They were seeking a 2nd straight conference win against the Red Foxes, and they would succeed in winning the game 67-62, making it their 4th straight win of the season.
In the 1st quarter, it was a back and forth affair with the Red Foxes as Senior guard Kirara Fisher was on fire to start off, scoring all of the Red Foxes 11 points in the first 5 minutes of the contest. The Red Foxes showed up playing the Golden Griffins tough on the other side of the court, but the Golden Griffins responded as they went on a 7-3 run in the final 3 minutes of the 1st quarter to finish off the quarter with a 2-point lead.
In the 2nd quarter, the Red Foxes’ defense would take over, holding the Golden Griffins to only 7 points in the entire quarter who struggled from the field, shooting only 2-10 in the quarter. However, the Red Foxes were unable to take advantage of the Golden Griffins shooting struggles as the Red Foxes took a 1-point lead into the half.
Coming out of halftime, the Golden Griffins took control of the game and went on multiple runs during the 3rd quarter as they took a comfortable lead by forcing turnovers and doing what they’ve done all season which is drilling from 3-point range during those runs. This led them to a 51-40 commanding lead after 3 quarters and outscoring the Red Foxes 26-14 overall in the quarter.
The Golden Griffins never looked back, but the Red Foxes never gave up until the final buzzer sounded as they tried to make a comeback by cutting the Golden Griffins’ lead down to 5 at 63-58. This was because the Red Foxes went on a 12-3 run in the 4th quarter with less than 40 seconds left. Ultimately, the Golden Griffins got the bounces to go their way, using free throw shooting to finish things off in yet another road win for the Golden Griffins taking it by a final of 67-62.
Golden Griffins Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh commented postgame about the important conference win.
“Any road victory we will take,” said Coach Nusseibeh. “Marist started off really tough and played us hard. Our newcomers helped balance our offense with the experience that they've had and our Sophomores are high IQ kids when we move the ball; it’s an equal opportunity for the offense.”
Overall, the Golden Griffins really took advantage of the 3-point shooting struggles from the Red Foxes as they only shot 27.3% from beyond the arch. Sophomore forward Sisi Elecko was leading the MAAC in points per game and rebounds per game coming into the game and she continued her dominant performance, earning yet another double-double, her 6th of the season.
With the win, for the 2nd straight year, the Golden Griffins start off MAAC play at 2-0. Next, they will head down to Youngstown, Ohio on Thursday morning to face the Youngstown State Penguins for a non-conference battle in the final game of a long 6-game road trip. Tip-off is set for 11 AM.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 67 points, 40 rebounds, 16 turnovers, 8 steals, 43.6% FG, 37.5% 3PT, and 71.4% FT.
Leading Scorer: Elecko 15 Points, 14 Rebounds, and 2 Assists.
Red Foxes: 62 points, 33 rebounds, 9 turnovers, 4 blocks, 7 steals, 38.1% FG, 27.3% 3PT, and 86.9% FT.
Leading Scorer: Fisher 21 Points, 3 Rebounds, and 6 Assists.
December 17th, 2023
Women’s Basketball Kick Off Conference Play With 65-63 Road Win
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins women’s basketball team were back in action on Saturday afternoon as they kicked off MAAC play on the road in Loudonville, New York, taking on the Siena Saints. The Golden Griffins were coming off 2 wins on the road, beating both the St. Bonaventure Bonnies and the Binghamton Bearcats, and they were seeking a 3rd straight win on Saturday afternoon.
The Saints jumped out to an early 8-2 lead over the Golden Griffins. This would end up being the Saints’ largest lead during the afternoon, and the game would feature 11 lead changes and 7 ties. During the 1st quarter, the Golden Griffins struggled, only hitting 16.7% from the field. They came back in the 2nd quarter by going on a 7-2 run with scoring 5 straight points from Sophomore forward Sisi Eleko who would end up finishing with 19 points in the game. Junior guard Athina Lexa came off the bench playing extremely well for the Golden Griffins and drilled a 3-pointer, allowing the Golden Griffins to take a 29-26 lead into halftime.
To open up the 3rd quarter, the Saints bounced back as they went on a 9-0 run to take a 5-point lead as they outscored the Golden Griffins 20-14 during the quarter. In the 4th quarter, the Golden Griffins held a 5-point lead late into the quarter, but saw it evaporate as the Saints went on a 6-0 run to take a 61-60 lead. Graduate Student guard Grace Heeps knocked down a huge 3-pointer to have the Golden Griffins take the lead with 93 seconds remaining in the game.
The Saints tied the game at 63 with a layup with less than 25 seconds left to play, and the Golden Griffins took precious time off of the clock until Sophomore guard Brooklyn Thrash drove to the basket to draw a foul. She drained both free throws with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving the Golden Griffins the 65-63 victory as the outstanding defense by them helped to give the Golden Griffins their 3rd straight win. They also earned their 1st conference win of the season.
Golden Griffins Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh was extremely proud of her team after this team as she spoke postgame about the win.
“It was not a pretty game, but I am so proud of our women and it’s a big sign of growth for us,” said Coach Nusseibeh. “[Eleko] is extremely talented and when she goes, no one can stop her. [Lexa] is a momentum energy kid.”
Saturday’s win for the Golden Griffins was the 1st win in Loudonville since 2014, and this win marked the 1st time the Golden Griffins have opened conference play on the road with a win since the 2015-16 campaign. Next, the team travels to Poughkeepsie, New York to play the Marist Red Foxes. Tip-off in the McCann Arena is set for 11 AM tomorrow.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 65 points, 32 rebounds, 9 turnovers, 3 blocks, 4 steals, 39.7% FG, 39.3% 3PT, and 57.1% FT.
Leading Scorer: Elecko 19 Points and 9 Rebounds.
Saints: 63 points, 36 rebounds, 13 turnovers, 5 blocks, 6 steals, 46.3% FG, 30% 3PT, and 83.3% FT.
Leading Scorer: Sophomore guard Elisa Mevius 21 Points, 4 Rebounds, 4 Assists, and 2 Steals.
December 16th, 2023
Giampa Scores Game-Winner in Final Minute, Ice Hockey Earns 3-2 Victory
Written by: Andrew Nowel
Last night, the Canisius Golden Griffins ice hockey team returned to the ice after a weekend off as they returned home to host the AIC Yellow Jackets. Freshman forward Matteo Giampa scored only 28 seconds into the game to get it started and scored with 25 seconds left to play to go-ahead in the game. The Golden Griffins, behind Giampa, won 3-2 to kick off the weekend series against the Yellow Jackets.
Giampa got the scoring going 28 seconds into the game with his 11th goal of the season. Graduate Student defenseman Brenden Datema earned his 4th assist of the season. The Golden Griffins held the 1-0 lead until there was 6:30 left in the 2nd period where the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 1. The game would stay tied as both teams headed into the locker room for the 2nd intermission.
At the 10:33 mark of the 3rd period, the Yellow Jackets scored to take a 2-1 lead. However, it wasn’t long until the Golden Griffins tied the game at 2. Sophomore forward Killian Kiecker-Olson scored his 2nd goal of the season with assists going to Graduate Student forward Kyle Urbank, his 6th, and Senior defenseman Luke Farthing, his 2nd.
With the game tied at 2, things were getting tense, but the Golden Griffins weren’t going to back down from the challenge. Behind Giampa’s 12th goal of the season, assisted by Senior forwards Randy Hernandez, his 7th, and Max Kouznetsov, his 5th, the Golden Griffins won 3-2 to improve to 5-8-3 on the season and 5-4-3 in the AHA.
The Golden Griffins will host the Yellow Jackets tonight at 5 PM at the LECOM Harborcenter, and the game will be streamed live on FloHockey.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins- 24 shots, +10 rating, 38% faceoffs, 8 penalty minutes, and 15 blocks.
Freshman goalie Ethan Robertson recorded 27 saves with 2 goals against.
Yellow Jackets- 29 shots, -10 rating, 62% faceoffs, 8 penalty minutes, and 6 blocks.
The Yellow Jackets Senior goalie had 21 saves with 3 goals against.
December 12th, 2023
Men’s Basketball Falls in Late Run to Panthers 81-72
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins men’s basketball team returned to the court to open up a 4-game road stretch on Saturday night as they traveled to the Petersen Events Center to take on the Pittsburgh Panthers. Coming off the last home game of 2023 last Wednesday night, they were hoping to build off the win over the Robert Morris Colonials into a tough road environment in Pittsburgh as they faced an ACC opponent for the 2nd time this year.
There are no moral wins in sports, but even in an 11-point loss, there are still positives to take away from, especially playing a team from a powerful ACC conference. The Panthers were coming into this game as one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the ACC. The Golden Griffins had to try to contain Panthers Senior forward Blake Hinston, who was averaging 21.9 points per game coming into the game against the Golden Griffins.
The Golden Griffins played the Panthers really tough in the 1st half. Golden Griffins Senior guard Siem Uijtendaal went right down the floor and drained a quick 3-pointer to start the game. The game went back and forth as the Golden Griffins took a 1-point lead at 41-40 into the half. Opening the 2nd half, the Golden Griffins scored 6 straight points within just over a 2-minute span and even had a 7-point lead at one point during the 2nd half.
The Panthers then went on a 8-0 run to take a 7-point lead themselves at 68-61, outscoring the Golden Griffins 42-30 in the 2nd half. The Golden Griffins’ mistakes added up throughout the 2nd half, and the Panthers took advantage, scoring 16 points off turnovers throughout the game. The Golden Griffins struggled hitting their 3-pointers when it was needed in the 2nd half, shooting 28.8% from outside the key in the 2nd half alone.
Positive takeaways for the Golden Griffins is that they kept the game close as the lead was changed 15 times in the game against an ACC team on the road. Golden Griffins Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon spoke about the loss to the Panthers after the game.
“We had spurts where we had lousy turnovers and then we had some breakdowns defensively,” said Coach Witherspoon. “They make you pay from 3 if you are late defensively leaving them wide open; our guys fought and the hope is that we will get better from this game.”
Coach Witherspoon, in this game, reunited with a former face, whom he coached with in 2010 for USA Basketball U18 team, in Panthers Head Coach Jeff Capel; a team featuring Kyrie Irving and Austin Rivers.
With the non conference loss, the Golden Griffins dropped to 6-5 overall. They will be back in action on December 22nd in High Point, North Carolina to take on the High Point Panthers at 7 PM.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 71 points, 25 rebounds, 15 turnovers, 1 block, 3 steals, 53.1% FG, 37.5% 3PT, and 100% FT.
Leading Scorer: Uijtendaal 18 Points, 6 Rebounds, and 5 Assists.
Panthers: 82 points, 25 rebounds, 8 turnovers, 1 block, 8 steals, 53.4% FG, 50.0% 3PT, and 66.7% FT.
Leading Scorer: Hinston 26 Points and 5 Rebounds.
December 10th, 2023
Women’s Basketball Declaw Bearcats with 71-64 Victory
Written by: Daeshaun Williams
The Golden Griffins are coming off of a strong win against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies. They were 3-3 entering the game against the 2-7 Binghamton Bearcats this past Friday. The Golden Griffins have struggled all year on the road, being 1-3 in these games. Sophomore forward Sisi Eleko leads the MAAC in points per game and rebounds per game, but the Golden Griffins know that they can’t just rely on Eleko, especially since they had their work cut out for them defensively as on the other side with Bearcats Sophomore guard Ella Wanzer. Wanzer is averaging 12.8 points per game and shooting 39% from 3-point range.
The Golden Griffins have attempted a lot of 3-pointers this year, and that didn’t change as the 1st quarter got underway. The scoring got started for the Golden Griffins by none other than Eleko, who banked in a 3-pointer from the top of the key to get the offense rolling. The 1st quarter was close, and it seemed neither team could stretch out a lead, but that all changed after a tough and one basket by Junior guard Athina Lexa that gave the Golden Griffins a 13-12 lead as the quarter was winding down.
Eleko continued to be involved with a post up basket that gave the Golden Griffins an 18-15 lead. The quarter ended the best way that the Golden Griffins could hope for: with another banked 3-pointer at the buzzer by Eleko, giving the Golden Griffins a lead of 21-15 at the end of the 1st quarter.
The 2nd quarter started the same way that the 1st quarter ended: with the Golden Griffins getting a 3-point basket. They used an offensive rebound by Senior guard Grace Heeps to jump out to a 7-2 run in the beginning moments of the 2nd quarter. Senior guard Mackenzie Amalia got involved in the offense by hitting a 3-pointer, and a tough mid-range basket. Those 5 points by Amalia gave the Golden Griffins a 30-22 lead halfway through the quarter.
The offense began to stall a little bit though, and before the Golden Griffins knew it, the Bearcats were only down by 3 points. Then, Wanzer struck, hitting a deep 3-pointer to tie the game at 30 a piece. The Golden Griffins began to look overwhelmed on offense with forced shots being taken and 2 shot clock violations. The Golden Griffins ended the 1st half by letting the Bearcats go on a 15-2 run to give them a 32-30 lead.
To start the 3rd quarter, the Golden Griffins knew that they had to get the offense back on track. Heeps started off the scoring for the Golden Griffins by hitting a 3-pointer to put the Golden Griffins on top 33-32. Eleko continued to make her presence known in the game by hitting her 3rd three-pointer of the night as time on the shot clock winded down. Amalia then decided to join in on the 3-point party by knocking down a 3-pointer on the next possession. The Golden Griffins jumped out to a 18-8 run on the Bearcats to start the third quarter, giving them a lead of 50-38. Lexa ended the 3rd quarter by hitting a buzzer beater 3-pointer, giving the Golden Griffins a 56-44 lead.
The Lexa show was in full force to start the 4th quarter as she hit 2 three-pointers to begin the scoring for the Golden Griffins. The Golden Griffins continued their offensive onslaught, using a dagger 3-pointer by Heeps to defeat the Bearcats 71-64.
The Golden Griffins used a career night from Lexa to defeat the Bearcats. The Junior guard notched 21 points in the win, shooting an outstanding 71% from outside. Eleko recorded her 5th double-double of the season in the win as well. The Golden Griffins hit 15 three-pointers in this game; the most in a game since 2022 for the Golden Griffins. A season high 26 points in the 3rd quarter sealed the deal for this needed win for the Golden Griffins.
The Golden Griffins are now 4-3 on the season which is 1st in the MAAC. Their next game will be against the Siena Saints on Saturday at the UHY Center in Loudonville, New York. Tipoff is at 2 PM.
Key Players:
Lexa 21 Pts 71% 3PT 66% FG
Eleko 15 Pts 10 Reb 100% 3PT
Amalia 13 Pts 3 Reb 4 Ast
December 9th, 2023
Swim and Dive Falls to Little Three Rival St. Bonaventure, Closes Out 2023 Portion of Season
Written by: Andrew Nowel
The Canisius Golden Griffins swim and dive team returned to the pools after a competitive break of 17 days. They returned home to host the St. Bonaventure Bonnies, and the meet didn’t go as planned as the Bonnies won both the women’s meet and the men’s handedly. The Bonnies won 150-71 against the Golden Griffin women and 152-75 against the men.
The Golden Griffin men had a couple of solid performances amidst the struggles of the team as a whole. Sophomore Sam Vidal placed 1st in the 100 Breast with a time of 58.49 while placing 6th in the 200 Free with a time of 1:49.38. Once again, Freshman Marin de Villard impressed with a 3rd place finish in the 100 Back with a time of 51.26 and placed 4th in the 200 Free just ahead of Vidal with a time of 1:43.77.
The Golden Griffin women also had a couple of great performances. The Freshman class had a couple of great races that scored solid points for the Golden Griffins. Freshman Evie Leighton placed 3rd in the 200 Free with a time of 1:56.19 while Freshman Andi Mackey placed 4th in the 50 Free with a time of 25.34. Leighton also placed 6th in the 100 Free with a time of 55.22.
Overall, the men struggled as a team, falling 152-75 to the Bonnies. The women also struggled as a team, falling 150-71 to the Bonnies. Golden Griffins Head Coach Scott Vanderzell commented on how both teams were still swimming well despite the winless feel of the races.
“I see a lot of grit in what they’re doing; how they race; how they compete,” said Coach Vanderzell yesterday during practice. “[We’ve] put in a lot of work and have had a lot of races, so I’m pleased where we’re at right now.”
The Golden Griffins won’t return to the pool, competitively, until 2024 begins as they will return to Cleveland, Ohio to face the Cleveland State Vikings in a dual meet with the start time being 12 PM on January 11th. Coach Vanderzell knows the amount of time off between meets will be beneficial for both teams as it gives them more time to train and also relax with their families.
“Build on what they’ve been working on here,” said Coach Vanderzell. “That’s the main focus over break for a lot of our swimmers and divers since a lot of them are going home over break.”
December 7th, 2023
Uijtendaal’s Big Night Leads Men’s Basketball to Bounce Back Win Over Colonials
Written by: Ryan Patota
The Canisius Golden Griffins men’s basketball team returned to their home court at the Koessler Athletic Center on Wednesday night for the final time in the 2023 calendar year. They faced off against a non-conference opponent in the Robert Morris Colonials who came into this game with a 2-6 overall record. The Golden Griffins were coming off a loss as they were only held to 52 points against the St. Peter’s Peacocks on Sunday. They were looking for a bounce back offensive performance against the Colonials which they did by scoring their 3rd most points overall this season, taking it 87-80, to improve to 6-4 overall on the season for the Golden Griffins.
The Golden Griffins got down very early 6-2, but then started to get going, knocking down 3 straight 3-pointers in a row to take a lead. Although the Colonials did get back the lead at 25-22, the Golden Griffins’ offense took over from there as they went on a scoring run on the next 6 straight possessions, finishing off the 1st half with a 7-point lead.
The Golden Griffins kept their run going to open up the 2nd half, going on a 10-4 run, but then the Golden Griffins committed some costly fouls and turnovers to let the Colonials back into the game. The Golden Griffins ended up with 17 turnovers for the game. Coming down the stretch, the Golden Griffins knocked down their free throws when it was needed as the Colonials did make it close, but then the Golden Griffins cashed in to seal it for the 87-80 victory.
The player that has continuously stood out throughout this entire campaign for the Golden Griffins has been Senior guard Siem Uijtendaal who stepped up again on Wednesday night scoring a season high of 24 points. After the game, Uijtendaal spoke about the bounce back win.
“After the St. Peter’s game, we felt a little down,” said Uijtendaal. “We knew we didn't play how we are supposed to play. Transition play, trying to hit ahead, trying to hit quick baskets while the other team isn’t set up on defense; I felt that’s what was working tonight.”
3 other players scored in the double digits as well as it was a team effort by all means for the Golden Griffins. Junior forward Frank Mitchell added on a double-double while also having 18 points and 12 rebounds. It was Mitchell’s 5th double-double of the season.
With the win, Golden Griffins Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon picked up his 100th career win as coach of the Golden Griffins; he also became the 5th Canisius head coach in the program's history to reach the milestone.
Uijtendaal and the Golden Griffins will have to continue to be fired up as their next game will continue their non-conference play on a road trip to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where they will be playing the Pittsburgh Panthers at 6 PM.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 87 points, 44 rebounds, 17 turnovers, 5 blocks, 3 steals, 49.2% FG, 30.4% 3PT, and 74.1% FT.
Leading Scorer: Uijtendaal 24 PTS, 5 Rebounds, and 2 Assists.
Colonials: 80 points, 35 rebounds, 9 turnovers, 4 blocks, 5 steals, 44.6% FG, 12.9% 3PT, and 58.8% FT.
Leading Scorer: Off the bench Sophomore guard TJ Wainwright 19 PTS, 4 Rebounds, and 2 Assists.
December 6th, 2023
Ice Hockey Blows 3-0 Lead Friday, Falls 5-1 Saturday against Lakers
Written by: Andrew Nowel
The Canisius Golden Griffins ice hockey team took their home ice last Friday to begin a home-and-home against the Mercyhurst Lakers. The Golden Griffins jumped out to a strong 3-0 lead, but the Lakers didn’t give up and tied the Golden Griffins 3-3, winning in the shootout 1-0. The next day, the Golden Griffins then traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania where the Lakers shut them down in a 5-1 victory for the Lakers, sweeping the weekend series for the Lakers against the Golden Griffins.
The Golden Griffins started strong against the Lakers on Friday taking a 1-0 lead early in the 2nd period after a scoreless 1st. Sophomore forward Grant Porter scored his 2nd goal of the season with the assists going to Senior defenseman Jackson Decker, his 6th, and Senior forward Cooper Haar, his 3rd.
With the 1-0 lead, the Golden Griffins added to it with 2 more goals in the 2nd period, the 2nd and 3rd coming within 1:30 of each other. Freshman forward Matteo Giampa continued his amazing season with his 10th goal of the season to make it 2-0; the assists were awarded to Decker, his 7th, and Senior forward Kyle Haskins, his 3rd. Giampa’s goal was a power-play goal while Senior defenseman Cody Schiavon scored his 2nd of the season to extend the Golden Griffins lead to 3-0, and the goal was an even strength goal. Schiavon’s goal was assisted by Freshman forward Jackson Nieuwendyk, his 2nd, and Sophomore forward Killian Kiecker-Olson, his 1st.
The lead would not last long as by the end of the 2nd period, the Lakers had shortened it to 3-1, heading into the intermission. The Lakers then proceeded to score again 2 minutes into the 3rd period to shorten the Golden Griffins’ lead down to 3-2. They tied the game halfway through the 3rd and neither team could score, sending the game into overtime. After multiple missed chances from the Golden Griffins, the game ended in a tie with the Lakers winning 1-0 in the shootout.
The Golden Griffins were frustrated with the loss, but they had to refocus since they rematched the Lakers the next day on the road. The Lakers jumped out to the 3-0 lead this time, all in the 1st period, but the Golden Griffins scored with 7:09 to play in the 2nd to begin their comeback. Sophomore forward Christian MacDougall scored his 1st of the season with the assists going to Nieuwendyk, his 3rd, and Senior defenseman Powell Connor, his 1st.
Before the 2nd period was over, the Lakers scored again to extend their lead to 4-1 and added to it in the 3rd period to win the game 5-1. Both of these losses were disappointing for the Golden Griffins, but it’s a learning experience and part of the growing pains of a team that is still trying to find its rhythm.
The Golden Griffins will return to the ice at home on December 15th against AIC with puck drop being at 7 PM.
Stats for the Mercyhurst series
Golden Griffins- 78 shots, -20 rating, 57% faceoffs, 6 penalty minutes, and 29 blocks.
Senior goalie David Fessenden had 47 saves with 8 goals against in total through both games.
Lakers- 55 shots, +20 rating, 43% faceoffs, 12 penalty minutes, and 23 blocks.
The Lakers Sophomore goalie had 74 saves with 4 goals against in total through both games.
December 5th, 2023
Cross Country Ends Season with Stellar Performance at 2023 Northeast Regionals
Written by: Andrew Nowel
The Canisius Golden Griffins cross country team finished their season with a race that gave them a great feeling. They raced at the 2023 Northeast Regionals on November 10th with the Golden Griffin women placing 18th while the men placed 24th. It was a great bounce back race from the MAAC Championship race while also ending the cross country season on a very high note.
The women finished 18th with a total time of 1:48:38 as once again they were paced by Graduate Student Olivia Moran who placed 32nd individually with a time of 20:36.0 in the 6k. Junior Kayla Schmidt and Senior Jules Jones were the next Golden Griffin runners in the 6k to cross the finish line with times of 21:37.7 for Schmidt and 21:40.5 for Jones. Schmidt placed 101st while Jones placed 107th. Both were ecstatic about their performances.
“I think overall, coming off MAACs, it was definitely a big confidence booster for everybody on the team,” said Schmidt on November 21st. “Using this motivation for regionals, everyone can take some of that and use it for [the] indoor [season]. It truly showed how confident we could be working as a team.”
The next 2 runners for the Golden Griffins came in 147th and 154th. 5th Year Marissa Silba placed 147th with a time of 22:19.5 while Sophomore Jacqueline Appenheimer placed 154th with a time of 22:24.8. The Golden Griffins scored a total of 534 points, helping them to place 18th. The Syracuse Orange won the women’s Northeast Regional with a total of 98 points.
The Golden Griffin men placed 24th with a total time of 2:39:32 in the 10k. Leading the way was Graduate Student Tom Appenheimer who placed 59th with a time of 30:46.1. Following Appenheimer was Sophomore Kyle Urban, placing 136th with a time of 31:53.5.
Senior Max Chew came in next for the Golden Griffins, placing 148th with a time of 32:05.9. Finally, Sophomore Brody Jones rounded out the pack with a place of 159th with a time of 32:16.8. The Golden Griffin men scored a total of 660 points, placing 24th. The Iona Gaels won the men’s Northeast Regional with a total of 40 points.
The season for the Golden Griffins began with 1st place finishes in the Little Three Championship and moved to the Jasper Fall XC Invitational where the men placed 2nd and the women placed 5th. Both teams placed 33rd at the Paul Short Invitational and the women placed 1st at the Canisius Alumni Classic while the men placed 2nd. MAACs was a struggle for both teams as the men placed 4th while the women placed 5th, though the Golden Griffins knew they could have done better. The Northeast Regional performance finished off an amazing season that they hope to continue in the fastly approaching indoor track season.
December 3rd, 2023
Mistakes Pile Up For Men’s Basketball in Close Loss to Peacocks
Written by: Ryan Patota
Earlier today, the Canisius Golden Griffins men’s basketball team were back in action inside the Koessler Athletic Center where they faced the St. Peter’s Peacocks who were fresh off their 1st MAAC win on Friday night in Lewiston, New York, defeating the Niagara Purple Eagles. The Golden Griffins came off the offensive clinic against the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Friday, but today the outcome was very different for the blue and gold in a frustrating, low scoring contest with a final score of 54-52 in favor of the Peacocks.
It was clear from the start that this game was going to be a defensive battle. The game was close for the initial part of the 1st half and then the Golden Griffins started to build on a lead, up to 9 at one point. With less than 6:30 left, the Golden Griffins ended up taking the lead at halftime with a 25-18 lead.
Coming out of halftime, the Golden Griffins took a commanding 39-30 lead, but then the Peacocks went on a 15-0 run just over the span of 5 minutes to take a 45-39 lead. The Golden Griffins were spiraling downwards toward a loss as they were down by 7 with 1:49 left, but they still fought back as Junior forward Frank Mitchell knocked down a couple of baskets to cut the Peacocks’ lead down to 3. The Golden Griffins made one last push as Junior guard Tre Dinkins made a 3-pointer to cut the lead down to 2 at 54-52, but the Golden Griffins failed to score on a final shot that would have sent the game into overtime, giving the Peacocks the victory.
After the loss, Golden Griffins Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon commented on the 15-0 run that the Peacocks had early in the 2nd half.
“We [have] got to establish a rhythm,” said Coach Witherspoon. “If we don’t, we get frustrated offensively. [It’s] something we have to learn from.”
Another area that the Golden Griffins struggled today was at the free throw line as they shot 9-20 while the Peacocks shot 14-19. With the loss, the Golden Griffins fall to 1-1 in MAAC play and 5-4 overall.
The Golden Griffins will close out their 3-game homestand on Wednesday when the team returns to non-conference action to face the Robert Morris Colonials at the Koessler Athletic Center. Tipoff is set for 7 PM, and it will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 52 points, 32 rebounds, 15 turnovers, 5 blocks, 6 steals, 35.3% FG, 33.3% 3PT, and 45% FT.
Leading Scorer: Mitchell 16 PTS, 4-10 on FTs, 9 Rebounds, and 1 Steal.
Peacocks: 54 points, 31 rebounds, 14 turnovers, 6 blocks, 3 steals, 38.8% FG, 16.7% 3PT, and 90.91% FT.
Leading Scorer: Senior guard Latrell Reid 10 PTS, 7 Rebounds, and 4 Assists.
December 2nd, 2023
Men’s Basketball Dominates Bobcats 93-73, Earn 1st Win in MAAC Play
Written by: Ryan Patota
It was a rainy Friday night at the Koessler Athletic Center in downtown Buffalo as the Canisius Golden Griffins men’s basketball team opened up MAAC conference play against the Quinnipiac Bobcats who came into the game at a 5-1 record. The Golden Griffins came in fresh off taking 2 out of 3 at the 2023 Northern Classic in Quebec, Canada sitting at 4-3 overall in the season. They came to play and left with an impressive win by a final score of 93-73.
It was back and forth for a while in the 1st half, but the Golden Griffins started to pull away at halftime with scoring 7 out of the final 9 points of the half as they took a 14-point lead into the half, 47-33. Their largest lead of the game was 28 during the 2nd half with the Golden Griffins having all their starting 5 players go into double digit scoring.
Junior guard Tre Dinkins scored a career high of 21 pts while Senior guard Siem Uijtendaal had a season high of 20 pts. Even though the Golden Griffins are dealing with the injuries of Junior forward Xaiver Long and Sophomore guard Tahj Staveskie who are still both week to week, there are new players that are continuing to step up for this Golden Griffin team every game.
The Bobcats came into the game as one of hottest shooting teams in general, averaging 84 points per game and hitting from 3-point range in the MAAC 39.8% this season. The Golden Griffins shut them down on Friday night as the Bobcats struggled from beyond the arch shooting only 15% in the game while the Griffs shot 54%. This was the huge difference maker of the game, and the Golden Griffins also took advantage of 13 Bobcat turnovers throughout the game, cashing in 17 points off of them.
After the game, Golden Griffins Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon spoke about his team’s performance as they scored 93 points which was the most the team had scored in a single game in conference play in the last 4 seasons.
“Especially in transition, we were very purposeful getting the ball down the floor, but we can always improve on some areas,” said Coach Witherspoon. “It helps when you take care of the basketball [which] is key for your defense to have success.”
A milestone watch for Coach Witherspoon is his 100th win at Canisius because he earned his 99th win last night. An overall great performance for the team, but they can’t dwell on the win as the Golden Griffins will have to move on to try to continue this offensive explosion into tomorrow afternoon. They will be hosting a team that is going to make you work for a win in the St. Peter’s Peacocks who are 2-4 overall, 1-0 in conference play. Tipoff is set for 1 PM at the Koessler Athletic Center, and the game will be broadcasted live on ESPN+.
Stats for the game
Golden Griffins: 93 points, 44 rebounds, 9 turnovers, 2 blocks, 7 steals, 45.8 % FG, 54.2% 3PT, and 82.4% FT.
Leading Scorer: Dinkins- 21 Pts 5 Rebounds 5 Assists and 2 Steals.
Bobcats: 73 points, 38 rebounds, 13 turnovers, 3 blocks, 8 steals, 38.3% FG, 15% 3PT, and 80% FT.
Leading Scorer: Junior guard Alexis Reyes 14 Pts and 8 Rebounds.
December 1st, 2023
Women’s Basketball Take Down Bonnies 63-56, Earn 1st Road Win
Written by: Daeshaun Williams
The Golden Griffins were on the road versus the St. Bonaventure Bonnies last night and they were 0-3 entering the matchup. The Golden Griffins lost to the Buffalo Bulls, Colgate Raiders, and the Illinois Fighting Illini. Entering this matchup versus the Bonnies, the Golden Griffins knew that they needed to get back on track following Sunday’s loss.
In the 1st quarter, the Bonnies kept up with the Golden Griffins after being down 11-4 halfway through the quarter. The Bonnies would end the quarter by tying the game 16-16. The 2nd quarter continued the 1st quarter energy from the Golden Griffins as they went on a 12-2 run to end the 1st half. The Golden Griffins ended the 2nd quarter outscoring the Bonnies 19-8.
To start the 2nd half, the Golden Griffins continued to be dominant using key shots from Senior guard Mackenzie Amalia. The Golden Griffins took their foot off the gas at the end of the 3rd quarter. At the end of the quarter, the Golden Griffins led 50-41.
The 4th quarter began and all the Golden Griffins had to do was hold on for the win. The Golden Griffins proceeded to hold on to finish this game, making this a key win against the Bonnies 63-56 the final score. The Golden Griffins improved to .500 with a record of 3-3 while also getting their 1st road win of the season.
The Golden Griffins used a strong performance from Amalia, who ended the game with 20 points while also shooting an efficient 57% from 3-point range.
“We had a game plan coming in,” said Amalia after the game. “In our previous games, we have taken a dip in the 2nd half, and I think we did a great job (today) of executing throughout the whole 40 minutes.”
Golden Griffins Head Coach Sahar Nusseibeh commented about the big win in a postgame interview.
“Extremely proud of this group,” said Coach Nusseibeh. “We’re a tight-knit crew; we talked about staying together for 40 minutes and emptying the tank, which is what we did. We withstood some 4th quarter pressure from them, and I’m so proud how we found a way to finish this game strong.”
Player Stats:
Senior Guard Mackenzie Amalia 20PTS 3AST 46 FG%
Sophomore Forward Sisi Eleko 9PTS 13REB 1BLK
Junior Guard Athina Lexa 8PTS 1STL 66FG%