Getting a career-high 19 points from junior Ashley Wilkes and shooting 46.9 percent from the floor as a team, the Canisius College women's basketball team defeated Loyola University 65-55 in the Koessler Athletic Center on Friday. The Golden Griffins improve to 9-11 overall and 3-6 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Wilkes had 19 points on 9-for-15 shooting in 23 minutes. Freshman Kayla Hoohuli had 15 points, including 3-for-6 on 3-pointers. Junior Ashley Durham had seven assists, four steals, five rebounds and four points in 35 minutes.

"Recently, we have really concentrated on a couple of things - playing hard and taking care of the basketball. We've been pretty good with that first goal but the second one still needs some work," Canisius coach Terry Zeh said. "I thought we did a good job with our game plan and really forced Loyola into tough shots in its zone offense.

"This was a really good team win, getting a lot of little plays from a number of different players."

Canisius forced Loyola into missing its first eight shots, but the Greyhounds would eventually take a 13-4 lead. The Griffs trimmed into that lead with back-to-back 3-pointers from sophomore Jen Morabito and Hoohuli. The teams stayed close for the rest of the half, with Canisius taking its first lead since a 2-0 advantage on a coast-to-coast layup from Durham with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Canisius closed the half on a 10-0 run, capped with Durham grabbing a loose ball on sideline and beating the halftime buzzer with her layup giving Canisius a 29-24 lead.

The Griffs extended that to a 15-0 run by scoring the first five points of the second half - getting a 3-pointer from Hoohuli and a transition basket from Wilkes to make it 34-24. The Griffs never let the Greyhounds get closer than eight points in the second half. Canisius used a 14-5 run to build a 19-point lead with just over three minutes left and put the game away.

Canisius held Miriam McKenzie to four points from the field as the senior shot 2-for-15 from the floor. Kara Marshall had a career-high 21 points while Katie Sheahin had 14 points. Loyola (7-13, 3-6 MAAC) shot 31.1 percent from the floor as a team.

Canisius concludes the weekend against Rider on Sunday, with game time set for noon on Hall of Fame Day in the Koessler Athletic Center. The 1982-83 Golden Griffin women's basketball team is among the six inductees going into the Canisius Athletics Hall of Fame and will be honored at halftime.

Notes: Friday's game was part of the Jesuit Basketball Spotlight... Canisius held a lead at halftime for the first time since Jan. 7, against Saint Peter's... With the win, Canisius snapped a four-game losing streak overall and a four-game losing streak to Loyola... Canisius defeated Loyola for the fifth time in the last seven years in the KAC... Canisius has now won six of its last seven home games... The 10-point margin of victory for Griffs was just the fourth time in the last 19 meetings between the teams that the final margin was in double digits... Wilkes topped her career high of 15 points set at Bucknell on Nov. 30... Durham is now averaging 6.0 assists in the team's last six home games... Hoohuli drew her team-high eighth charge of the season... The freshman has scored in double figures in five of nine league games and is 22-for-46 on 3-pointer in conference play... Canisius had a season-high 19 assists on 23 made baskets.