Men's Basketball 2/16/2006 12:00:00 AM Canisius College Athletics

Men's Basketball Hosts Youngstown State on Senior Day

Canisius College (6-18) vs. Youngstown State (7-17)

Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006?2 p.m. Koessler Athletic Center (2,176)?Buffalo, N.Y. Internet/Radio: CJRN 710 AM Jay Moran (play-
by-play) TV: None

Today's Game

The Golden Griffins finish their home schedule by hosting Youngstown State in the Koessler Center.
It's Senior Day and the final home contest for seniors Kevin Downey, Jon Popofski and Mike Hanley. The trio will be honored before the game.
Downey needs 16 points and 11 assists to become the first player in Canisius history with over 1,500 points, 400 rebounds and 400 assists. He ranks sixth on the school's all-time scoring list.
Popofski has scored 446 points in 47 games at Canisius. The transfer from Central Connecticut State has 823 points, 221 rebounds and 156 assists in his collegiate career.
Hanley has played in 86 career games and tallied 128 points and 91 boards.
Canisius is 7-1 on Senior Days under Mike MacDonald with the lone loss an 80-65 setback to Niagara in 2002.
This is the last non-conference game of the season, and Canisius owns a 1-7 mark in non-league games.
Today's matchup resulted out of participating in the original pool of teams that were under consideration for the BracketBusters presented by eBay. Canisius will play a return game at Youngstown State next season.
The Blue and Gold has lost 10 of its last 12 and is coming off a 74-71 home loss to Marist Monday night.
Youngstown State has lost five straight games, including a 65-54 home decision to Detroit Wednesday.
Canisius is 3-9 at home this season but has won two of its last three in the Koessler Center.
The Penguins are 2-11 on the road.

Quick Hits

Downey is averaging 24.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his last three games.
The Griffs have shot 50 percent or better in five of the last eight halves of basketball.
The Griffs are shooting 72.9 percent from the free-throw line, their best percentage since 1984-85 and the fourth-best in school history. Canisius ranks fourth in the MAAC.
Eleven of Canisius' last 17 contests have been decided by double digits, and four of the last eight games have been decided by 16 points or more.
Canisius has held the lead at halftime in 12 games but is 4-8 in those contests.
Darnell Wilson ranks second in the MAAC and 13th in the NCAA in field goal percentage (.602).
According to Stats Inc., Kevin Downey ranks in the top-10 in consecutive starts by an active player (111). Tops on the list is Gerry McNamara (Syracuse) and second is James Augustine (Illinois). Ray Hall owns the school record for consecutive starts with 115, followed by Micheal Meeks (112).
The Griffs have placed four players in double figures in scoring in 14 contests but are 4-10 in those games.
This is the fourth consecutive season Canisius has had at least a six-game losing streak.
Rigoberto Sargeant has been suspended indefinitely for team-related issues. The sophomore center/forward has missed the last 17 games.

Series History Series: 1-0, Streak: W-1, Began: 1940-41

This is just the second time Canisius and Youngstown State have met on the hardwood and the first in 64 years.
The Griffs claimed a 51-47 victory against the Penguins in St. Ann's Hall in Buffalo Jan. 18, 1941.

Scouting the Penguins

Quin Humphrey leads the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 18.9 points and 8.1 rebounds a game.
Keston Roberts averages 14.9 points an outing.
Youngstown State shoots 43.5 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from 3-point range.
The Griffs and Penguins have played three common opponents?St. Bonaventure, Siena and Detroit. Youngstown lost to Detroit twice, Bona and Siena. The Griffs spilt with Siena and lost to Bona and Detroit.
Assistant coach Michael Wernicki served as an assistant coach at Canisius under Mike MacDonald for the past two seasons.
Assistant coach Byron Thorne Byron Thorne was an assistant coach under Scott Hicks at MAAC school Loyola from 2000-2004. Thorne also served as an assistant at Elmira College from 1995-97 under current Golden Griffin women's coach Terry Zeh, when Zeh was the head men's coach of the Soaring Eagles.

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Players Mentioned

#3 Kevin Downey: G; 6' 3"; Senior

#42 Mike Hanley: F/C; 6' 10"; Senior

#23 Jon Popofski: G; 6' 2"; Senior

#24 Rigoberto Sargeant: F/C; 6' 8"; Sophomore

#1 Darnell Wilson: F; 6' 6"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#3 Kevin Downey
: 6' 3"; Senior
: G

#42 Mike Hanley
: 6' 10"; Senior
: F/C

#23 Jon Popofski
: 6' 2"; Senior
: G

#24 Rigoberto Sargeant
: 6' 8"; Sophomore
: F/C

#1 Darnell Wilson
: 6' 6"; Junior
: F