Five Things to Know: Men's Basketball Renews Rivalry with Niagara

Game No. 15
Canisius (5-9, 1-2 MAAC) at Niagara (6-7, 1-3 MAAC)
Date: Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Lewiston, N.Y. | Gallagher Center
Video Broadcast: ESPN3
Talent: Todd Callen (pxp) and Richard Walsh (color)
Live Audio: Golden Griffin Broadcast Network; GoGriffs.com
Talent: Andy Helwig (pxp)
Live Stats: Through PurpleEagles.com
Twitter: @Griffs_MBB | #Griffs; #MAACHoops

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. After a Year Off, Canisius and Niagara Meet Thursday
After not playing its long-time rival in the 2020-21 season, the Canisius men's basketball team is set to travel north to take on Niagara Thursday night at the Gallagher Center in Lewiston, N.Y. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPN3. Thursday's game will be the first meeting on hardwood between the Golden Griffins and the Purple Eagles since March 5, 2020 - a span of 678 days.

2. Series History vs. Niagara
Thursday's game will be the 188th all-time meeting in this series that dates back to Dec. 1, 1904. Niagara leads the series 103-84, having scored wins in six of the last eight games, dating back to the start of the 2016-17 campaign. Last season, Canisius and Niagara did not play due to COVID-19 protocols withing Niagara's program. That marked the first time the two schools failed to meet at least once since the 1965-66 campaign.

3. We're Going Streaking
The Griffs extended their win streak to three straight on Tuesday with a 79-67 home victory over Quinnipiac to move to 5-9 overall and 1-2 in MAAC play. In the current three-game win streak, which dates back to Dec. 18 against Buffalo, Canisius is averaging 80.3 points per game while shooting 45.3 percent from the field.

4. Harried Hitting 20
Junior Armon Harried led all scorers with a game-high 21 points in the Griffs' win over Quinnipiac, his fifth game with 20-or more points scored this season. The team's second-leading scorer with 12.9 points per contest, Harried has recorded 18-plus points in five of the Griffs' last nine contests. His five games this season with 20-or more points scored are the most for a Canisius player since Majesty Brandon scored 20-plus points six times during the 2019-20 campaign.

5. X Marks the Spot
Freshman Xzavier Long has taken kindly to his new starting line-up assignment. In three games since joining the Griffs' starting five, Long is averaging 9.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, highlighted by his 16-point performance in Canisius' 97-90 overtime victory over FGCU Dec. 22. The Washington, D.C., native is good for 4.5 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in his first dozen games in a Canisius uniform.

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Players Mentioned

#15 Majesty Brandon: G; 6' 0"; Senior

#11 Armon Harried: G; 6' 5"; Junior

#25 Xzavier Long: F; 6' 7"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#15 Majesty Brandon
: 6' 0"; Senior
: G

#11 Armon Harried
: 6' 5"; Junior
: G

#25 Xzavier Long
: 6' 7"; Freshman
: F

Players Mentioned

#15 Majesty Brandon

#11 Armon Harried

#25 Xzavier Long

Players Mentioned

#15 Majesty Brandon

#11 Armon Harried

#25 Xzavier Long