BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - Rider University shot 56 percent in the second half, and made four 3-pointers in a four-minute stretch, to pull away from the Canisius College men's basketball team as the Golden Griffins lost 79-64 in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Spark Energy MAAC Championship at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard on Saturday. The Golden Griffins finish the season with a 15-15 record.

Senior Elton Frazier led Canisius with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting. Senior Greg Logins had 12 points and six rebounds while seniors Robert Goldsberry and Julius Coles each had 11 points, combining for five 3-pointers.

 "We cut it to three points, fighting and scrapping to get back into the game. They made some pretty opportune 3-pointers and you have to give them credit," Canisius head coach Tom Parrotta said. "They took away some of our offense and we had some costly turnovers early. I think we deserve some credit for not folding. We just couldn't get over the hump. We got a lot of shots tonight, and just didn't make them."

Canisius scored the first six points of the game, getting a 3-pointer from Goldsberry and Gaby Belardo to take the early 6-0 lead. The Broncs then held Canisius scoreless for nearly seven minutes as Rider scored 12 straight points to take its own six-point lead. A layup from Frazier ended the run, but a 3-pointer from Justin Robinson put the Broncs up by seven.

Canisius scored six straight points, getting a layup from senior Tomas Vazquez-Simmons, free throw from sophomore Alshwan Hymes and 3-pointer from Goldsberry to cut the lead to 15-14. After a layup from Mike Ringgold, a pull-up 3-pointer from Hymes tied the score at 17-17. Rider went on a 10-2 run to go up 27-19 after a 3-pointer from the wing from Brandon Penn. A 3-pointer from Coles ended the Rider run as the Broncs took a 31-25 lead into the locker room.

Rider attacked the inside to start the second half, scoring its first 12 points in the paint to take a double-digit lead. The Griffs cut the lead to 45-39 after a steal and breakaway layup from Belardo. The Broncs pushed the lead back to 10 points before a 3-pointer from Goldsberry and hook shot from Logins cut the Rider lead to 49-44.

After a Rider basket made it 51-44, Coles scored four straight points to make it a three-point game. The Broncs then made four 3-pointers - their only four 3-pointers of the half - during a four-minute span to re-open a double-digit lead, going up 63-52 after a 3-pointer from Robinson from the corner with just over five minutes remaining. Canisius never cut it to less than nine points the rest of the way as Rider went 10-for-13 from the free-throw line down the stretch.

Rider (23-9) had five players reach double figures, with Anthony Myles, Robinson and Penn each score 13 points. Ringgold added 12 points and Novar Gadson had 11.