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Canisius University Athletics

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Tana Kopa drives to the basket in a home game against Brown on Nov. 23, 2024.
Anthony Militello
60
Winner Merrimack Merri 3-6,1-0 MAAC
52
Canisius Canis 0-9,0-1 MAAC
Winner
Merrimack Merri
3-6,1-0 MAAC
60
Final
52
Canisius Canis
0-9,0-1 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Merrimack Merri 20 40 60
Canisius Canis 27 25 52

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Merrimack Fights Back to Defeat Men’s Basketball

Merrimack sophomore Adam "Budd" Clark scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the second half to help the visiting Warriors erase a seven-point halftime deficit en route to a 60-52 victory over Canisius in MAAC men's basketball action Friday night at the Koessler Athletic Center.
 
Merrimack improved to 3-6 overall and 1-0 in league play with its second-straight win, while the Golden Griffins fell to 0-9 overall and 0-1 in conference action.
 
Clark, the MAAC's leading scorer, finished the night by going 6-for-18 from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in 39:21 of action. He also grabbed five rebounds, dished out four assists and was credited with two steals. Graduate student Matt Becht scored all 12 of his points on the power of four makes from 3-point land, highlighted by a back-breaking three-ball from the left side of the floor with 2:58 remaining in the game that helped seal the win for the Warriors. Devon Savage added 11 points to Merrimack's win, as the Warriors shot just 29.6 percent from the field and 28.0 percent from 3-point land, but the team cashed in at the free-throw line, making 21-of-28 chances from the stripe, with 18 of those makes coming in the game's second half.
 
For Canisius, senior Tana Kopa led all Griffs with 15 points, and he also grabbed seven rebounds to go with two steals and two blocked shots. Graduate student Jasman Sangha recorded his first career double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds, while junior Paul McMillan IV tallied 13 points for the Blue and Gold. As a team, Canisius shot 29.7 percent, made 6-of-31 3-pointers (19.4 percent) and went a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe.
 
The Griffs took a 27-20 lead into the locker room at the break after Kopa took a pass from redshirt-sophomore Cam Palesse and drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key as the first-half horn sounded. That triple was one of three 3-point field goals on the night for Kopa. Out of the intermission, however, Merrimack answered with back-to-back 3-pointers to trim Canisius' lead to 27-26. A pair of made free-throws by Clark with 11:55 put Merrimack ahead for the first time in the game at 35-33, and moments later, Clark drove through the paint and scored off the glass to push the Warriors' margin to four points at 37-33. Over the game's next 6:16, neither team led by more than five points. After a technical foul was assessed to Merrimack for unsportsmanlike conduct, Kopa knotted the contest at 46-46 with 4:55 left to play by making both free throws.
 
Merrimack sealed the win with a 10-2 run over the game's next 3:29 that made the score 56-48 in favor of the visiting team. In that run, which was started by a pair of free throws by Clark, the Warriors scored five of their points from the charity stripe, but the key basket came with 2:58 left to play, as Becht drilled a 3-pointer with a hand in his face as the shot clock expired. That 3-point field goal gave Merrimack a 51-46 advantage.
 
HEAD COACH JIM CHRISTIAN'S POSTGAME COMMENTS  
GAME NOTES
• Friday was the first time Canisius and Merrimack have met in men's basketball. Merrimack joined the MAAC prior to the start of the 024-25 academic year.
• Canisius ended the night with a season-high 44 rebounds. Palesse grabbed a career-high 11 boards in the losing effort.
• Thirteen of Canisius' 44 rebounds came off the offensive glass, which the Griffs turned into 11 second-chance points.
• Canisius' bench outscored Merrimack's reserves by a 27-2 count.
• The Griffs used their sixth different starting line-up of the season in this game.
• Sangha made all six of his tosses from the free-throw line in the loss. The six makes from the stripe set a career-high for the Brampton, Ontario native.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will return to action on Sunday afternoon when the Griffs play host to Siena in a MAAC contest. Tip-off in the Koessler Athletic Center is set for 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The Griffs' radio call will be available through the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network on GoGriffs.com and the Varsity Network APP.
 
All fans in attendance at Sunday's game will receive Canisius-themed wrapping paper (while supplies last), compliments of Tim Hortons. Tickets for the Siena game, and all remaining Canisius home basketball games, can be purchased by CLICKING HERE.
 
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