LAWERENCEVILLE, N.J. - Rider University junior Justin Robinson scored eight straight points to help key a 23-2 Rider run over the final 7:15 of regulation time as the host Broncs defeated Canisius 86-70 Sunday afternoon in Alumni Gymnasium in the regular season finale for both teams. The Golden Griffins end the regular season with a 14-16 overall record and an 8-10 mark in MAAC play, which seeds the team No. 7 in next weekend's 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Tournament. The Griffs will meet Marist Friday night, March 5, at 9:30 p.m., in the first round game.

Robinson ended the game with a career-high 27 points after he knocked down all five of his shots from behind the 3-point line while going 6-for-6 from the charity stripe in the win. For Canisius, senior Frank Turner was credited with a team-high 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds in the losing effort, while junior Elton Frazier added 14 points. The Griffs shot 42.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from behind the arc, but allowed Rider to shoot 50 percent from the field and 50 percent from long range, as the host Broncs connected on 11-of-22 tries from 3-point range.

"Offensively, we scored well in the half court but did not create easy scoring opportunities in transition which allowed the game to be close for 30-plus minutes," Canisius head coach Tom Parrotta said. "On the defensive end, when a team shoots 50 percent from three, you're going have a tough time winning, especially on the road. I believe fatigue played a role for our guys in the second half today. We appeared a little sluggish on the defensive end, and that has been our staple."

Canisius took a five-point lead with 7:47 left in regulation time after junior Julius Coles completed a traditional three-point play with a made layup and a made free throw. Robinson made the score 65-63 with a 3-pointer, but that was answered by Coles, who drilled a 3-ball from the left wing with 7:15 left on the clock to put the Griffs up 68-63. From there, Rider scored the game's next five points to tie the contest at 68-68. The Blue and Gold took their final lead of the day moments later on a layup by Frazier, but Rider answered the bell, scoring the game's final 18 points, capped by a 3-pointer by reserve senior Robbie Myers with 12 seconds left to play.

Coles was good for 11 points in the loss for Canisius, which has now dropped all 14 of its games played against Rider in the Alumni Gymnasium. Tomas Vazquez-Simmons added four blocks for Canisius, which ended up being out rebounded by Rider by a 34-31 count. Senior Ryan Thompson had 17 points for Rider in his final home contest, with 10 of those coming in the game's final 20 minutes.

Canisius will return to action Friday night in the first round of the MAAC Tournament, where the Blue and Gold will meet No. 10 seeded Marist. Canisius has won at least one MAAC Tournament game in nine of the 11 postseasons, and the winner of the Canisius-Marist game will advance to Saturday's quarterfinal round where it will meet second-seeded Fairfield at 7:30 p.m.

Game Notes: Canisius split the regular season series with Rider for the second-straight year... Rider leads the all-time series with Canisius by a 25-6 count... Turner's 16 points and 10 assists mark the 10th time in his career he's recorded a double-double... Rokas Gricius came off the bench to score a career-high eight points on two made 3-pointers and a jumper in the lane right before the first half ended.