Game No. 13 - Canisius (5-7, 0-2 MAAC) vs. Loyola (4-9, 0-2 MAAC)
Presented by Independent Health and Delta Sonic
Date: Saturday, January 3, 2009
Site: Koessler Athletic Center (2,176); Buffalo, N.Y.
Time: 2:05 p.m.
Webcast: GoGriffs.com
Radio: CJRN 710-AM and through GoGriffs.com
Talent: Jay Moran (p-x-p)

FAST BREAK POINTS

• The Canisius College men's basketball team returns to MAAC action this afternoon when the team plays host to Loyola in the Koessler Athletic Center.
• The Golden Griffins enter today's game on a two-game winning streak after defeating Maine 56-43 Dec. 30, in Orono, Maine.
• Canisius has won three-straight home games this season, having beat Navy 68-63 in its last home contest. Dating back to last season, the Blue and Gold is 4-1 in its last five home games.
• Today's game is presented by Independent Health and Delta Sonic.
• Loyola has dropped two straight and comes into this afternoon's contest having lost at No. 5 Duke by a score of 92-51 Dec. 31.
• Canisius junior Chris Gadley had a career-high 25 rebounds at Maine Dec. 30. That number stands as the most rebounds in a game by a Division I player this season.
• Gadley's 25 boards against the Black Bears was one shy of tying the school record for rebounds in a single game and matches the MAAC's single-game rebounding mark, which is also held by former Fairfield player Darren Phillip. Phillip had 25 rebounds against Marist Jan. 5, 2000.
• Junior Frank Turner leads the team in scoring with 13.5 points per game. He had 16 points against Navy Dec. 20, and has posted double figures in the scoring column 10 times this season.
• The junior guard will be playing in his 75th career game this afternoon. He ranks third in the MAAC in minutes played (36 per game) and has played in 160 consecutive minutes, dating back to Dec. 13, at Albany.
• Guard Julius Coles scored in double figures for the third-straight game at Maine Dec. 30, and enters today's game averaging 12.4 points per game since moving into the starting lineup Dec. 1, at Howard.
• Sophomore Tomas Vazquez-Simmons has been good for seven-plus rebounds in each of the team's last three outings.
• Senior Bob Bevilacqua matched a career high with four assists at Maine Dec. 30.
• The Griffs lead the MAAC and 38th in the nation in field goal percentage defense, with opponents shooting 37.6 percent against them this season.
• Canisius has held two opponents (Howard and Maine) to less the 50 points on the scoreboard this season, the first time that has happened since the 1996-97 season.
• As a team, the Griffs rank among the MAAC's top-five in four different defensive categories.
• Canisius has not won it's MAAC home opener since Dec. 5, 1999, when it beat Fairfield by a score of 89-86 in the HSBC Arena.

ABOUT THE GREYHOUNDS

• Loyola enters this afternoon's game with a 4-9 overall mark and an 0-2 record in league play after the team lost to No. 5 Duke 92-51 Dec. 31.
• The Greyhounds have dropped two straight after winning back-to-back games over Coppin State and UC Davis.
• Greyhound sophomore Jamal Barney leads the team in scoring average at 14.3 points per game. Junior guard Brett Harvey ranks second on the squad at 12.8 points per contest. 
• Forward Issac Reid leads the team in rebounds with 6.8 per game. Loyola's opponents are averaging 2.9 rebounds more a game than the Greyhounds.
• Loyola is shooting 77.7 percent from the free throw line while allowing opponents to shoot 45.7 percent from the field.

CANISIUS - LOYOLA SERIES

• This afternoon's game is the 48th meeting between these two schools, with Canisius holding a 29-18 edge in the all-time series.
• The Greyhounds have won four straight and six of the last seven contests.
• Canisius' lone win in the last eight ball games came March 3, 2006, when the Griffs downed Loyola 74-72 at the buzzer in the first round of the MAAC Tournament in Albany, N.Y.
• Four of the last six games between these two schools have been decided by five points or less.
• Canisius and Loyola first met on the hardwood Jan. 29, 1955 where the Blue and Gold walked away with a 73-63 win at home.
• Three of the first four games between the two teams were played in Buffalo.