The Canisius women's basketball team battled the three-time defending America East champions in the Koessler Athletic Center on Wednesday night, but the Golden Griffins ultimately fell 64-59 to the University at Albany.

Junior Emily Weber matched her career high with 14 points, including four 3-pointers. Junior Crystal Porter had 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior Kayla Hoohuli had seven points, three assists and four steals while also drawing three charges in the game.

“We are doing a lot of good things. We withstood a bunch of Albany runs and didn't fold against a really good team tonight,” Canisius coach Terry Zeh said. “We were a little late in making some adjustments against their defense and we have to get better on the glass. I just want this team to keep battling because they've showed some grit and good results will come if we keep working hard.”

Neither team was able to find a rhythm offensively in the first half, especially during a sloppy start to the game that featured a combined 16 turnovers in the opening eight minutes. The first half saw seven ties and 11 lead changes as Albany took a 25-23 lead into the locker room.

Each team shot better than 50 percent in the second half, with Albany (3-1) posting a 60.9 field goal percentage. A jumper from Hoohuli put Canisius up 36-35 with 11:33 remaining before the Great Danes scored on three consecutive possessions to go up 41-36 and appear poised to break the game open.

Canisius used a 7-1 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Weber, to go up 43-42 with 8:05 left. Albany would regain a 46-44 lead on a jumper from Imani Tate, but another 3-pointer from Weber put the Griffs again up by one point, 47-46 with 6:31 left. 

Albany built a 51-48 lead with 3:40 left, with a basket from junior Tiahana Mills cutting the deficit to one. The teams traded baskets on their next possessions with another jumper from Tate putting the Great Danes up 55-52 with 2:35 left. The Griffs would go without a field goal, and only made two free throws, during the next two-plus minutes. Albany scored on its final 10 possessions during the final 4:11 of the game to pull away.

Tate led all players with 21 points in 24 minutes. Shereesha Richards had 17 points as the duo combined to go 16-for-19 from the floor and Albany scored 34 points in the paint. Each team controlled the offensive glass, with Albany grabbing 14 offensive rebounds (compared to 14 Canisius defensive rebounds) and the Griffs grabbing nine offensive rebounds (compared to 13 defensive rebounds for Albany).

Canisius (0-3) plays at Saint Francis (Pa.) on Sunday, with tipoff in Loretto, Pa. set for 2 p.m.

Notes: Albany now leads the all-time series 3-2 and has won the last three meetings between the teams… Canisius held Albany to zero fast-break points while scoring eight of its own… Porter has scored in double figures in each of the first three games. The Houston, Texas native has scored 10 or more points in three straight games for the first time in her career… Hoohuli has now taken four charges on the season and 50 in her career… Weber also matched her career high with the four 3-pointers… Hoohuli matched her career high with the four steals.