Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Men's Basketball Travels to Penn State

Men's Basketball Canisius College Athletics

Men's Basketball Travels to Penn State

Game No. 2
Canisius (0-1) and Penn State (1-0)
Friday, Nov. 16 - 7 p.m. Bryce Jordan Center - University Park, Pa.
TV/Internet: ESPN360.com Audio: Golden Griffin Broadcast Network/CJRN 710-AM

Fast Break Points
  • The Canisius College Golden Griffins take to the road for the first of five straight away from the Koessler Athletic Center, starting tonight at Penn State University.
  • The Griffs opened the 105th season in program history Nov. 13, with a 61-47 loss at home to Colgate. Canisius slipped to 73-29 all-time in season openers with the loss to the Raiders.
  • Canisius shot just 26.9 percent from the field and 29.6 percent from 3-point range in the loss to Colgate. And while the offense struggled, the 61-point effort by Colgate is the fewest points by a Canisius opponent in the season opener since 2003-04, when Buffalo put up 58 points against the Blue and Gold in a Canisius victory.
  • The loss to Colgate also snaps the program's four-game win streak over Patriot League schools.
  • There were plenty of new faces on the floor for the Griffs Tuesday night in the 2007-08 opener - Canisius started two freshmen, two sophomores and a junior college transfer.
  • In all, seven of the 12 players that saw time against Colgate Nov. 13, were making their first Division I college basketball appearance.
  • Freshman forward Tomas Vazquez-Simmons came off the bench for Canisius and ripped down a game-high eight rebounds, the most for a Canisius freshman in his first college game since former Griff Rigoberto Sargeant had 11 boards in the 2004-05 opener against Howard at home.
  • Tonight's road game at Penn State marks just the second meeting between these two schools, with the first meeting coming March 29, 1995 in the consolation game of the NIT Championship in Madison Square Garden.
  • This non-league contest marks the first time Canisius has played on a Big Ten campus since Dec. 7, 1985, when the Blue and Gold traveled to East Lansing, Mich., and lost to Michigan State by a 90-61 count.

    Penn State Scout
  • The Nittany Lions opened the 2007-08 season with a 74-64 win over St. Francis (Pa.) Monday night in the Bryce Jordan Center.
  • Senior forward Geary Claxton paced all players with a double-double effort of 23 points and 10 rebounds. Teammate Brandon Hassell (no relation to Canisius' Willie Hassell) had 11 boards.
  • Penn State returns 11 letterwinners and four starters from last year's team that went 11-19 overall. Senior forward Geary Claxton is the team's top returning threat after he averaged 16.3 points and eight rebounds per game a season ago.
  • Under DeChellis, the Nittany Lions are 30-20 in non-conference home games.
  • Penn State is 16-4 all-time against member schools of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

    Series History
  • Tonight marks just the second meeting between these two schools in basketball.
  • Penn State leads the all-time series 1-0, with that win coming by a 66-62 count March 29, 1995, in the consolation game of the 1995 NIT.
  • Canisius' Darrell Barley scored 17 points to lead all Canisius scorers in the NIT loss at Madison Square Garden. Damone James and Chris Young added 11 points apiece, while Canisius Hall of Famer Micheal Meeks was good for nine points and nine boards in the losing effort.
  • The loss to the Nittany Lions ended the Griffs' season at 21-14, and set the table for then-head coach John Beilein (now at Michigan) to take his 1995-96 team to the MAAC title and the NCAA Tournament, the last postseason bid in the program's history.

    All-Time History vs. The Big Ten
  • Canisius has played nine games in school history against current Big Ten teams, with the Griffs holding a 2-7 record in those contests.
  • Canisius' two wins have come against Minnesota and Wisconsin.
  • The Blue and Gold have played games against Indiana (0-1), Michigan State (0-4), Minnesota (1-0), Penn State (0-1) and Wisconsin (1-0).
  • Canisius has never won a game on a Big Ten school's campus, with the wins over Minnesota and Wisconsin coming in The Aud.
    • Print Friendly Version

    Players Mentioned

    Willie Hassell

    #20 Willie Hassell

    G
    5' 8"
    Junior
    Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

    #42 Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

    F
    6' 7"
    Freshman

    Players Mentioned

    Willie Hassell

    #20 Willie Hassell

    5' 8"
    Junior
    G
    Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

    #42 Tomas Vazquez-Simmons

    6' 7"
    Freshman
    F