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Canisius University Athletics

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Paul McMillan IV looks at the shot clock in a game at Arizona on Nov. 4, 2024.
Anthony Militello
69
Canisius Canis 0-5,0-0 MAAC
92
Winner Western Mich. WMU 2-3,0-0 MAC
Canisius Canis
0-5,0-0 MAAC
69
Final
92
Western Mich. WMU
2-3,0-0 MAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Canisius Canis 24 45 69
Western Mich. WMU 41 51 92

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Western Michigan Proves to be Too Much for Men’s Basketball

Five Western Michigan players scored in double-figures and the host Broncos shot 63.3 percent from the field while making 10 3-pointers en route to a 92-69 win over Canisius in the final game of the 2024 Bronco Classic Sunday afternoon at University Arena in Kalamazoo, Mich.
 
Three of Western Michigan's five starters scored in double-figures, led by Markkhi Strickland, who posted a team-high 15 points to go along with three rebounds, three assists and a steal. Owen Lobsinger, JaVaughn Hannan and reserve guard Brandon Muntu each scored 14 points in the win for the Broncos (2-3), and the trio combined to make nine of Western Michigan's 10 3-point field goals on the day. Lobsinger hit four of those 3-pointers for the home squad and he also grabbed a game-high nine rebounds as the Broncos controlled the glass by a 39-28 count.
 
For Canisius (0-5), junior Paul McMillan IV scored a game-high 23 points in the losing effort, his fourth game with 20-or more points scored this season. He also led the Blue and Gold with six rebounds to go with four assists and two steals. Senior Tana Kopa scored 12 points on the power of four makes from behind the 3-point arc and redshirt-sophomore Cam Palesse added 10 points, four rebounds and four assists to the Griffs' effort. As a team, Canisius shot a season-low 36.9 percent from the field, made 9-of-30 tries from 3-point land and hit 14-of-16 free-throw tosses, led by McMillan IV, who went 9-for-10 from the charity stripe on the day.
 
For the second-straight game, Canisius jumped out to an early lead, scoring 10 of the game's first 12 points in the opening 2:56 to take a 10-2 lead over Western Michigan. A traditional three-point play by freshman Evan van der Plas with 16:31 left on the opening half pushed the Griffs' cushion to nine at 13-4, but for the second-straight day, Canisius fell victim to an extended run by its opponent that put the game out of reach by halftime.
 
A floater off the glass by Lobsinger with 15:15 remaining in the opening stanza kick-started a 30-3 Western Michigan run that spanned the game's next 11:57. In that run, Strickland scored nine of the Broncos' points, and the Western Michigan defense held the Griffs to just one field goal in its next 17 shots from the floor. McMillan IV's traditional three-point play with 6:03 left before halftime served as the Blue and Gold's only points in the decisive run.
 
HEAD COACH JIM CHRISTIAN'S POSTGAME COMMENTS  
GAME NOTES
• Sunday was the fifth all-time meeting between the two schools, and the first since the 1996-97 campaign. Canisius leads the all-time series against Western Michigan by a 3-2 count.
• Sunday's noon tip-off was the earliest start time for the Griffs since Dec. 1, 2019 when the team started at noon in a neutral site win over Mercer in Boca Raton, Fla.
• McMillan IV is the first Canisius player to score 15-or more points in each of his first five games with the program since former Griff Malcolm McMillan opened the 2015-16 season with 15-plus in the scoring column in each of the Griffs' first six contests.
• The 23 points by McMillan IV on Sunday marks the seventh time in his college career where he's scored 20-or more in a game.
• van der Plas had a season-high eight points for Canisius, as he returned to the starting line-up for the Griffs for the first time since the season-opener at No. 10/9 Arizona.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will wrap up its four-game road stretch on Tuesday with a non-league game at Maryland. Tip-off in College, Park, Md., is set for 7 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast live on B1G Network+. Canisius' radio call can be heard on the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network and the Varsity Sports Network APP.

SUPPORT THE GRIFFS
Support Canisius men's basketball in conjunction with the "More Than A Game" campaign. Your donation to the men's basketball program helps our student-athletes continue to be champions in the community, in the classroom and in competition. To donate, CLICK HERE.

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