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Sisi Eleko collects a rebounds in the Griffs win over Marist on Feb. 15, 2024
Joe Lehrman

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Strong Effort on the Glass Leads Women's Basketball to Win Over Marist

Led by a game-high 15 boards from sophomore Sisi Eleko, the Canisius women's basketball team grabbed a season-high 50 rebounds in its 68-52 victory over Marist in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action Thursday at the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
 
With the win, the Golden Griffins improved to 13-10 overall and 8-6 in the MAAC while the Red Foxes slipped to 5-18 overall and 3-10 in conference play.
 
Along with her 15 rebounds, Eleko totaled 18 points to post her MAAC-leading 12th double-double. Senior Mackenzie Amalia put away 17 points while chipping in a team-high six assists as well. Junior Athina Lexa added in 15 points of her own with sophomore Brooklyn Thrash totaling three steals in the winning effort.
 
Zaria Shazer led Marist with 17 points with her teammate, Kiara Fisher, scoring 12 points and providing six assists. On the glass, Shazer and Catie Cunningham each hauled a team-best seven rebounds.
 
The Griffs and Red Foxes traded baskets throughout the first quarter, but an Amalia 3-pointer with less than a minute left saw the two sides enter the second quarter tied, 14-14.
   
Canisius struck first to begin the second stanza, opening on an 8-0 run over the first 2:43 to build a 22-14 edge with 7:17 left.
   
The Griffs offense did not slow down, scoring 16 of the final 26 points the remainder of the way to hold a 38-24 lead at the half.
 
Canisius kept its pressure to begin the second half, limiting Marist to just 3-of-11 (.271) shooting while adding in 15 points of its own to hold a 53-30 edge with 4:16 left.
   
The Red Foxes would get four of the final six points to end the frame and trim the Canisius lead to 55-34 entering the fourth quarter.
 
In the final frame, the Red Foxes tired to chip away at the Griffs lead, scoring 11 of the final 15 points of the contest, but the deficit proved to be too much to climb as the Griffs came away with the win.
 
POSTGAME COMMENTS   GAME NOTES
• Canisius has now won five straight games against Marist dating back to Feb. 12, 2022, marking the longest winning streak against the Red Foxes in program history.
• Canisius pulled down 50-or-more rebounds in a game for the first time since grabbing 51 caroms against UTGRV on Nov. 17, 2018.
• Marist still leads the all-time series, 43-19, and hold a 18-8 advantage in Buffalo.
• Today was the programs annual Play4Kay game. Canisius is now 3-0 in its annual Play4Kay game under head coach Sahar Nusseibeh. 
• Amalia's five makes from 3-point range are a career-high. Her previous career high for 3-pointers was four, which she last had against Manhattan (Jan. 20).
• Eleko now needs 44 rebounds to pass Shauna (Geronzin) Green for the most rebounds by a sophomore with 285. She also now needs 31 to pass Caren Jachimiak and enter the top-10 all-time for rebounds in a single season with 272.
• Junior Xanthippi Karatasiou appeared in her first game since Nov. 20 against D'Youville.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius is back in action Saturday at home against Siena for Alumni Day. Tip-off is set for 1 p.m., with the game airing on ESPN+.
 
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