Five Things to Know: Women's Basketball to Renew “Battle of the Bridge” Rivalry

Game No. 12
Niagara (4-6, 2-1 MAAC) at Canisius (2-9, 0-2 MAAC)
Date: Sunday, Jan. 9
Time: Noon
Location: Buffalo, N.Y. | Koessler Athletic Center
Fan Vaccination Policy: CLICK HERE | FAQs
Broadcast: ESPN3
Talent: Jay Moran (play-by-play) and Richard Walsh (analyst)
Live Stats: Via GoGriffs.com
Twitter: @GriffsWBB | #Griffs | #MAACHoops
Instagram: @GriffsWBB | #Griffs | #MAACHoops

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW

1. Opening Tip
The Canisius women's basketball team plays the middle game of its now-five-game homestand against "Battle of the Bridge" rival Niagara on Sunday. Tipoff between the Purple Eagles and Golden Griffins is set for noon.

2. Home, Sweet Home
COVID protocols postponed Canisius' pair of road contests against Marist and Quinnipiac scheduled for New Year's Weekend.

With the postponements, the Griffs are now on a five-game homestand, the program's longest streak since a five-game stretch in February 2016. In the last five-game homestand, the Blue and Gold went undefeated, defeating MAAC rivals Rider, Marist, Manhattan, Monmouth and Niagara.

3. Series History
Sunday marks the 99th meeting between the two longtime Western New York rivals.

Canisius has a 60-38 advantage in the all-time series and has won seven of the last 10 and 12 of the previous 15 meetings.

Home court has been kind to Canisius as the Griffs have won the last eight such contests. Canisius is 28-14 all-time at home against Niagara.

4. Stubbs Stealing the Show
Freshman guard Cheyenne Stubbs was tabbed MAAC Co-Rookie of the Week on Dec. 27, sharing the honor with Marist's Siobhan Boylan.

With being named MAAC Co-Rookie of the Week, Stubbs and Lydia Gattozzi (Dec. 6) are the first Canisius players to earn Rookie of the Week honors in the same season since Sara Hinriksdóttir and Maria Welch during the 2015-16 campaign.

In 22 minutes off the bench in the Griffs' last game against Manhattan on Dec. 21, Stubbs scored eight points on 3-of-6 shooting from the floor and 2-for-4 from 3-point range. She added two rebounds and two steals with one assist.

Stubbs has recorded multiple steals in each of the last three games and is Canisius' first true freshman to log three consecutive multi-steal performances since Anna Sweny in 2016-17.

If Stubbs continues her streak on Sunday, she will become Canisius' first true freshman with multiple steals in four straight games since Allison Braun in 2009-10.

5. Worth the Wait
After not playing a game over the last 19 days, it is the Griffs' seventh time on record that a Canisius team has gone at least 19 days between games in a single season. It is the most prolonged break since the 1984-85 season when the team also had a 19-day hiatus between contests (Dec. 16, 1984 and Jan. 4, 1985).

In the first contest following a 19-plus-day pause between games, the Griffs have had their fair share of success, posting a 4-2 record in such games. The Blue and Gold have won the past three games off a 19-day pause in the middle of a season.

For complete coverage of Canisius women's basketball, follow the Griffs on social media at @GriffsWBB on Instagram and Twitter.

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Players Mentioned

#24 Cheyenne Stubbs: G; 5' 5"; Freshman

#2 Lydia Gattozzi: G; 5' 10"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#24 Cheyenne Stubbs
: 5' 5"; Freshman
: G

#2 Lydia Gattozzi
: 5' 10"; Freshman
: G

Players Mentioned

#24 Cheyenne Stubbs

#2 Lydia Gattozzi

Players Mentioned

#24 Cheyenne Stubbs

#2 Lydia Gattozzi