QUICK HITTERS

• The Canisius College women's basketball team continues its four-game road trip on Saturday night, when the Golden Griffins face rival Niagara University in the Gallagher Center.
• Niagara defeated Canisius 66-60 in the Jan. 19 meeting between the teams in the KAC.
• Canisius has won two of the last three games between the teams in Gallagher Center, including a 56-49 win last season at Niagara.
• Saturday's game is part of the all-sports Battle of the Bridge competition between the schools. Canisius won the 2010-11 Canal Cup and has won three of the last four years.
• Through Thursday 's games, the Griffs are fourth in the country with an assist on 69.7 percent of their field goals. Canisius has 51 assists in the last three games.
• Canisius shot 50 percent in Thursday's loss at Loyola. It was the first time Canisius shot 50 percent in a loss since Nov. 20, 2004, against St. John's (Terry Zeh's first game as head coach.
• Sophomore Jamie Ruttle scored a career-high 24 points in Thursday's game at Loyola. Ruttle was 10-for-12 from the floor and was the first Golden Griffin to make 10 two-point shots in a game since Lonnie Brown made 11 on Feb. 6, 2004, against Manhattan.
• Junior Ashley Durham leads the team with a 12.9 scoring average through 11 conference games and matched her career high with nine assists against Rider on Sunday.
• Sophomore Jen Morabito ranks 28th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (39.5).
• Freshman Kayla Hoohuli is shooting 48.2 percent on 3-pointers in conference play.
• After Thursday's games, Canisius ranks fifth nationally in free-throw percentage and currently leads the MAAC at 79.0 percent. Durham ranks eighth nationally (89.5 percent).
• In its last 16 games against MAAC opponents, Canisius has held the opposition to 24.9 percent, from behind the arc. Canisius ranks 29th nationally in 3-point field goal defense.
• The 2011-12 Golden Griffin roster features zero seniors for the first time since the 2004-05 team. Every other roster in the MAAC features at least two seniors.

SCOUTING THE GRIFFS

• Sophomore Jamie Ruttle, the 2011 MAAC Rookie of the Year, leads Canisius in scoring (11.1) and rebounding (5.4). She has scored in double figures 16 times against MAAC opponents and is shooting 57.1 percent on two-point shots in the last 14 games.
• Junior Ashley Durham is third in the MAAC in assists per game (4.4). Durham has scored in double figures in five of the last six and 10 of the last 14 games. She ranks first in the conference in free-throw percentage (89.5) and has made 83 of her last 90 free throws.
• Sophomore Jen Morabito, a MAAC All-Rookie Team selection, has made 47 3-point field goals this season, accounting for 74.6 percent of her made field goals. Morabito has made three or more 3-pointers in 10 games and has scored in double figures 12 times.
• Freshman Kayla Hoohuli has 38 3-pointers in the last 17 games. Through 11 MAAC games, Hoohuli is shooting 48.2 percent on 3-pointers, which is second in the conference, and averaging 10.3 points per game. Hoohuli has drawn a team-high nine charges on the season.
• Junior Ashley Wilkes has grabbed at least five rebounds in 10 games this season and has recorded at least one steal in 14 games. Wilkes leads the team with a 50.0 field goal percentage, including a 57.1 field goal percentage at home.
• Junior Allison Braun, the team's captain for the 2011-12 season,  has missed the last five games and is out indefinitely with a leg injury. Braun is shooting 50.7 percent from the field in her last 14 appearances and has at least one steal in 14 of her last 16 appearances.
• Sophomore Courtney VandeBovenkamp had a season-high 11 rebounds at Iona on Jan. 22.  She is shooting 43.6 percent in the last 10 games and has made 21 of her last 22 free throws. 
• Sophomore Jen Lennox has scored six or more points in seven games this season. The 6-foot-3 forward has a block in 27 career games, including five of the last six.
• Junior Melissa Gardner is averaging 14.3 minutes in the last seven games and 7.9 rebounds per 40 minutes.
• Freshman Brooke Angelos is averaging 5.0 assists per 40 minutes.

NIAGARA SCOUT

• Niagara enters Saturday's game with an 8-15 record and is 5-6 in the MAAC. The Purple Eagles have won three of five after a 54-52 win at Saint Peter's on Thursday.
• Niagara is 4-4 at home this season, 2-2 in MAAC play.
• Sophomore Kayla Stroman leads the team at 10.1 points per game and with a 3.7 assists per game average that ranks sixth in the MAAC. Stroman is also third in the MAAC in steals per game (2.2).
• Freshman Meghan McGuinness made 5-of-6 3-pointers at Saint Peter's on Thursday night. McGuinness is sixth in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (38.2).
• Sophomore Lauren Gatto leads the team at 5.7 rebounds per game. Gatto scored 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting in the first meeting with Canisius.
• In MAAC play, Niagara is averaging 55.3 points per game while allowing 59.3 points. The Purple Eagles are shooting 37.2 percent from the floor and allowing 38.7 percent. The Purple Eagles are fifth in turnover margin (+0.6), fifth in defensive rebounding percentage (67.3) and eighth in offensive rebounding percentage (31.5).
• Kendra Faustin is in her fifth season after three years as an assistant coach under Terry Zeh. The 2010 MAAC Coach of the Year led Niagara to the semifinals of the 2010 MAAC Championship.

SERIES HISTORY VS. NIAGARA

• Canisius and Niagara are playing for the 81st time, with the Golden Griffins holding a 47-33 lead in the all-time series.
• In the Jan. 19 meeting in the KAC, Niagara built a 10-point halftime lead and Canisius could never get closer than two, falling 66-60.
• Junior Ashley Durham led Canisius with 17 points. Sophomore Jamie Ruttle had 12 and junior Ashley Wilkes had 10 points.
• Canisius has won seven of the last 11 meetings overall and two of the last three in the Gallagher Center.
• Saturday's game will be the 35th Canisius-Niagara game that coach Terry Zeh has been a part of after eight years leading the Griffs and seven years as an assistant with the men's team.