RIVERDALE, N.Y. -- Manhattan senior Devon Austin scored a game-high 20 points and teammate Chris Smith added 17 as the host Jaspers defeated Canisius College 81-63 Friday night in the MAAC opener for both squads. Manhattan improved to 4-2 overall and 1-0 in MAAC play while the Golden Griffins saw their two-game winning streak come to an end and slipped to 3-4 overall and 0-1 in league play.
For Canisius, Chris Gadley posted his third double-double of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Frank Turner chipped in 14 points in the losing effort. Greg Logins added 13 points for the Griffs after he went 4-for-6 from the field and 3-for-5 from 3-point range.
Manhattan broke the game open with an 11-0 run over a span of 3:27 midway through the second half. Canisius trailed by five at 47-42 after Turner drove through the lane and scored off the glass. From there, Austin scored six of the game's next 11 points with two 3-point field goals, the last one coming with 12:21 left in the game as the shot clock expired.
"They made a couple of 3-pointers and got on a roll," Canisius head coach Tom Parrotta said. "Give them credit, they knocked down some tough shots and that gave them some separation on the scoreboard. We talked about not letting their guards drive the lane and forcing them to take tough shots, and they did."
For the game, Manhattan shot 42.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range, with Austin draining four baskets from behind the arc. The Griffs shot 44.7 percent from the field but connected on just 20 percent (3-for-15) of their tries from 3-point land.
Rishawn Johnson came off the bench and scored a season-high six points, as did teammate Elton Frazier. Canisius ended the night with a 32-20 advantage on points in the paint.
The Griffs will return to action Sunday, Dec. 7, at Saint Peter's. Tipoff in the Yanitelli Center is set for 2 p.m.
Game Notes: Manhattan has now won three straight in the series against Canisius... Rishawn Johnson added a season-high two assists and a block to his final stats line... Frank Turner scored Canisius' first basket (a layup) for the fourth time this season... Elton Frazier made his 30th career start Friday.
