Redshirt freshman guard Isaiah Gurley had a team-leading 16 points, while teammate Kassius Robertson added 13 points, four rebounds and an assist as the Canisius men's basketball team finished exhibition play with a 106-67 win over Buffalo State Friday night at the Koessler Athletic Center.
All 13 Canisius players saw action in the final exhibition game of the year, with Gurley leading the way, adding five rebounds and four steals to his stat line. Senior Kevin Bleeker added 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, while fellow senior Malcolm McMillan posted 12 points and three assists in a team high 23 minutes of action.
Buffalo State, which competes in the SUNYAC conference, was led offensively by Lovell Smith, who had a team-high 23 points, adding two rebounds. Losing in their only exhibition game of the year, the Bengals shot 39 percent from the field, 16 percent from 3-point land, and ended the night with 30 turnovers, which Canisius turned into 45 points.
The Griffs controlled the game from start to finish, taking a 23 point, 58-35, lead to the half. The victory was cemented midway through the second with a 16-2 Canisius run that gave the blue and gold a 38 point lead with 13:09 left to play. For the game, Canisius shot 54 percent from the field, an impressive 50 percent from 3-point land and 75 percent from the free-throw line, while holding a 40-34 advantage on the glass.
The Golden Griffins will hit the road to open the 2015-16 regular season when they square off against Hofstra University Friday Nov. 13, at 7 p.m from Hempstead, N.Y.
Game Notes: With the win, Canisius improves to 21-3 lifetime against the Bengals with the first meeting between the teams taking place during the 1926-27 season… The Griffs largest lead of the night was 41 after a layup by Gurley with 2:29 remaining in the contest… Of the 13 players that dressed for the Griffs, 12 recorded at least four points, with five reaching double digits… Ronnie Gombe and Jermaine Crumpton tied Bleeker for a team-leading six rebounds.