E-Mail
Print
The two teams traded baskets, and the lead, early on in a frenetic half of play. Niagara started out with the first five points of the game, but the Griffs answered back to tie the game. Isaac Sosa again led Canisius in points in the first half, thanks to 3 of 9 shooting from behind the three-point line. As a team, the Griffs shot 7-20 (35%) from behind the arc, including Reggie Grove's three that gave the team its biggest lead of the game, seven points. Canisius took a 32-25 lead into the locker room.
Niagara's largest lead of the first was six points, with no Purple Eagle scoring more than 5 points in the opening twenty minutes. Antoine Mason led the team with 5 points in 10 minutes. Jordan and Juan’ya Green each notched 4 points in the opening half, as well. Canisius held a 21-18 edge in rebounding, thanks in part to a 9-6 edge on the offensive glass.
The Griffs lead ballooned to 10 points early in the second half on a Harold Washington three-pointer. The guard would finish the day with 12 points in 29 minutes. He missed several minutes in the second half after banging his head reaching for a loose ball near half court. However, Washington returned to the game and did not suffer any ill effects.
Jordan took over the Purple Eagles’ offense in the second half, scoring 19 of his team-high 23 points in the final half, including the game winning shot with under three seconds to go. The tide turned midway through the second, when Niagara went on an 11-0 run over a three-minute period. The Purple Eagles held a four-point lead with 6:01 remaining, but the Griffs and Purple Eagles traded baskets, and the lead, the rest of the way.
The game was tied 63-63 with 1:48 to go, and stayed that way until the final seconds. Baron converted a layup with eleven seconds to go, and on the next possession Green fed Jordan across the court, and Jordan hit the three over Jordan Heath defending. Without taking a timeout, Chris Manhertz inbounded the ball to Baron, who made it to the front court and connected on the shot just after the final buzzer.
The Griffs initially celebrated after the officials on the court signaled a made basket. However, they reversed the decision after watching the play on a vide monitor. The win moves Niagara to 13-8 overall, and 9-1 in MAAC play. The loss drops the Griffs to 13-8, with a 6-4 MAAC record.
Twitter: @PatWGR