Defense Leads Women's Basketball to Fourth Straight Win

Allowing 13 first-half points and building a 24-point second-half lead, the Canisius College women's basketball team posted a 52-41 win over Albany in the Koessler Athletic Center on Wednesday night. The Golden Griffins improve to 4-2 overall and have won their last four games.

Senior Brittané Russell, playing in her 100th career game, led Canisius with 10 points while senior Tasia Lee had seven points, five rebounds, three assists and a career-high four steals. Junior Micayla Drysdale was 2-for-4 from behind the arc to go along with five assists, one turnover and a career-high four steals.

“There were periods where we played very well, including some great stretches on the defensive end,” Canisius coach Terry Zeh said. “Thankfully we built a big lead, because we lost our focus in the second half and had no flow to our offense. We need to learn from this as it's disappointing not to finish the game properly.”

The game started out slowly, with no team scoring until a basket from Stephanie MacDonald almost three minutes into the game. Canisius methodically pulled away, holding Albany (3-3) to three field goals during the final 14 minutes of the first half.

During that stretch, Canisus built a 14-point halftime lead, doubling its lead in the final 1:17 of the half, getting a 3-pointer from Russell and baskets from Lee and Radke to make it 27-13.

The Griffs outscored the Great Danes 18-8 during the opening eight minutes of the second half, making seven of 13 shots to start the second half. Drysdale hit 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions while Brianna Lucas also had two 3-pointers during the run, which extended the Canisius lead to 47-23.

Felicia Johnson and Julie Forster each led Albany with 10 points with Forster grabbing a team-high six rebounds.

Canisius plays Big Four rival Buffalo on Saturday, with tipoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

Notes: Canisius extended its NCAA record of consecutive games with a 3-pointer to 460 games on a 3-pointer by Russell early through the first half... Canisius and Albany met for the first time… Canisius allowed 13 first-half points, the fewest since allowing 13 to Youngstown State on Dec. 17, 2008… Canisius has allowed under 50 points in three of its last six home games… Canisius has four or more wins in the opening six games for just the second time in the last 15 seasons. Canisius started the 2006-07 season with a 5-1 record… Canisius has a winning streak of four or more games for the 11th time under Zeh… Canisius has won its last seven games against teams in the America East conference… Canisius had 30 bench points in a game for the second time this season… Freshman Whitney Ellenor made her first appearance as a Golden Griffin and scored her first collegiate basket in the second half… Russell became the 33rd player in program history to appear in 100 games… Canisius held Albany without a 3-point field goal, the first Canisius opponent not to make a 3-pointer since Feb. 23, 2007, when Loyola was 0-for-2 from behind the arc.

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Players Mentioned

#23 Micayla Drysdale: G; 5' 9"; Junior

#12 Whitney Ellenor: F; 6' 2"; Freshman

#3 Tasia Lee: G; 5' 8"; Senior

#13 Brianna Lucas: G; 5' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#23 Micayla Drysdale
: 5' 9"; Junior
: G

#12 Whitney Ellenor
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: F

#3 Tasia Lee
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G

#13 Brianna Lucas
: 5' 8"; Senior
: G