LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Siena held Canisius to 11 first-half points, and the Golden Griffins couldn't complete the second-half comeback as the Canisius College women's basketball team lost 40-32 in the Alumni Recreation Center on Sunday afternoon. The Golden Griffins conclude regular-season play with a 10-19 overall record and 6-12 record in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.
Senior Tauralee Tenn led Canisius with a career-high nine points in 12 second-half minutes. Freshman Jen Lennox had six points and seven rebounds while sophomore Ashley Durham had five points.
"Our first team played tentatively and without enough energy. The second team played hard and gave us a chance down the stretch," Canisius coach Terry Zeh said. "We weren't ready to compete in the first half, and that has to change before we go to the MAAC Tournament."
Both teams got off to slow starts offensively as Serena Moore made the first two baskets of the game in the opening four minutes. Canisius tied the game at 6-6 after back-to-back baskets from Lennox. After the second basket from Lennox, the Saints held Canisius without a field goal for nearly 10 minutes, building a 23-8 after a 3-pointer from Kanika Cummings. Canisius trailed 28-11 at the half, committing 17 first-half turnovers.
The Griffs used seven points off the bench from Tenn get within 12 at 30-18. Canisius missed its next eight shots and couldn't cut into the lead any further. Siena pushed its lead to 33-18 before the Griffs started making their comeback. The Griffs held Siena without a field goal for a seven-minute stretch. A 3-pointer from Durham with 3:19 left cut the Siena lead to 37-32. The Griffs wouldn't get any closer the rest of the way as they went scoreless during the final three minutes.
Moore led Siena (13-15, 11-7 MAAC) with 21 points while Cristina Centeno had seven points and Kanika Cummings had six points.
No. 7 seed Canisius opens play in the 2011 Spark Energy MAAC Championship on Thursday, when the Golden Griffins take on No. 10 seed Niagara. Game time at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard is set for 2 p.m.
Notes: The 11 first-half points for the Griffs were the fewest in the opening 20 minutes of the season and second-fewest in a half this season, as Canisius scored 10 in the second half against Manhattan on Jan. 28... Tenn made her first career 3-pointer in the second half... Siena and Canisius split the season series for the second consecutive season... Canisius loses at Siena for the fourth time in the last five years.
