Five Things To Know - Men's Basketball Hosts Rival Niagara Wednesday Night

CANISIUS NOTES | NIAGARA NOTES | WATCH | LIVE AUDIO | LIVE STATS

Game No. 29
Canisius (13-15, 10-6 MAAC) vs. Niagara (12-17, 5-11 MAAC)
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2019
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Koessler Athletic Center
Online Broadcast: ESPN3
Talent: Jay Moran (p-x-p) and Richard Walsh (color)
Live Audio: WECK-Radio Buffalo; Golden Griffin Broadcast Network
Talent: Andy Helwig (p-x-p)
Live Stats: Through GoGriffs.com
Twitter: @Griffs_MBB | #Griffs; #DefendMainStreet; #MAACHoops

Five Things to Know Before The Battle of the Bridge
1. Griffs Start Final Week of the Regular Season
• Canisius will play its final two games of the 2018-19 season at home, starting Wednesday when the Golden Griffins play host to long-time rival Niagara at the Koessler Athletic Center. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Canisius enters Wednesday's game with a 10-6 record in MAAC play, a half-game behind first-place Iona. A Canisius win on Wednesday night will put the Griffs in a first-place tie with Iona in the MAAC standings, with both teams closing out the regular season on Friday night.

2. Rivalry Notes
• Canisius and Niagara are meeting for the 185th time in series history on Wednesday, with the Purple Eagles holding a 101-83 advantage all-time. In the last 10 games, each school has won five times, but Niagara has won four of the last five encounters, including the first meeting of this season back on Jan. 30. Canisius, which has played more games against Niagara than any other opponent, will be playing its long-time rival on the date of Feb. 27 for the first time in series history.

3. Second Half Surge
• Eight of the Griffs' 13 wins this year have come when the team is trailing or tied at halftime. That is in large part because of the team's second-half efforts. On average, Canisius is scoring 4.7 points more in the second half, while shooting better from the field, from 3-point range and from the free-throw line in the game's second stanza. Additionally, the Griffs are averaging 1.7 fewer turnovers after intermission.

4. Faulkner Adding Fuel
• Senior Jibreel Faulkner came off the bench and scored 13 points in the loss at Iona, his sixth game with 10-or more points scored this season. In the team's last five games, the Washington, D.C., 11.2 points per game while shooting 60.6 percent from the field and 60.0 percent from 3-point land.

5. Another Milestone for Johnson
• Junior Malik Johnson will make his 96th consecutive start Wednesday, which leads the MAAC and ranks fourth nationally. The start will also move him into the top-10 in program history, as Johnson will tie former Griffs forward and Canisius Hall of Fame Darnell Wilson for 10th all-time on the school's career games started list.

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Players Mentioned

#22 Jibreel Faulkner: F; 6' 8"; Senior

#1 Malik Johnson: G; 5' 10"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#22 Jibreel Faulkner
: 6' 8"; Senior
: F

#1 Malik Johnson
: 5' 10"; Junior
: G

Players Mentioned

#22 Jibreel Faulkner

#1 Malik Johnson

Players Mentioned

#22 Jibreel Faulkner

#1 Malik Johnson