Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Canisius University Athletics

#Griffs The Official Home of the Canisius University Golden Griffins | #Griffs
Anthony Benard looks to make a pass in the first half of a road game at Rhode Island Dec. 16, 2025.
Enzo Zambito
45
Canisius Canis 5-7,0-2 MAAC
62
Winner Rhode Island URI 8-4,0-0 Atlantic 10
Canisius Canis
5-7,0-2 MAAC
45
Final
62
Rhode Island URI
8-4,0-0 Atlantic 10
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Canisius Canis 27 18 45
Rhode Island URI 22 40 62

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Tripped Up at Rhode Island

Rhode Island guard Jonah Hinton scored a game-high 20 points to go with eight rebounds, while teammates Tyler Cochran and Myles Corey added 12 points apiece to help lead the host Rams to a 62-45 victory over Canisius in non-conference men's basketball action Tuesday night at the Ryan Center in Kingston, R.I.
 
The win ended Rhode Island's two-game losing skid and improved the team to 8-4 on the season, while the Golden Griffins fell to 5-7 on the year with the loss.
 
For Canisius, junior Bryan Ndjonga scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds, while fellow junior Anthony Benard came off the bench to contribute 10 points, four assists and three rebounds. Senior King Ijeoma added eight points, four boards, two steals and two blocked shots, as the Griffs shot just 31.9 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point land and 71.4 percent from the free-throw line, while turning the ball over 19 times.
 
The Canisius defense held Rhode Island to just 6-of-29 from the field and 3-for-18 from 3-point land in the game's opening 20:00 to take a 27-22 lead into the locker room at halftime. After Rhode Island scored the first five points of the second half to knot the score at 27-27, Ndjonga drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to push the Griffs back into the lead at 30-27. However, from there, the Rams' offense started to click, as Cochran, Hinton and Corey combined to make four-straight 3-pointers to push the home team into the lead at 39-32 with 13:21 left to play in the contest.
 
A traditional three-point play from Jahmere Tripp with 11:44 left on the clock pushed the Rams' lead to 14 at 46-32, but four-straight points from Ndjonga trimmed Rhode Island's lead to 10 at 46-36 with 10:23 left to play. A 3-point make by Benard with 5:11 left on the clock got Canisius within nine points at 52-43, but that would be as close as the Griffs would get down the stretch, as Rhode Island used a 10-0 run over the game's next 2:36 to push its cushion to 62-43 with 1:51 remaining.
 
Rhode Island shot 46.9 percent from the field in the game's second half, and six of the Rams' 15 made field goals after halftime came from behind the 3-point line. Rhode Island also took advantage of Canisius' 19 turnovers by converting them into 21 points, 14 of which came after halftime.


 
GAME NOTES
• Tuesday was the fifth all-time meeting between Canisius and Rhode Island, and the first since the 1983-84 season opener. Rhode Island now leads the all-time series, 3-2.
• Canisius recorded eight steals in the losing effort, and all eight came in the game's first half.
• Tuesday's game featured five lead changes and four ties.
• Ndjonga has now scored in double-figures eight times this season, which leads the team.
• Ndjonga matched his career-high with eight rebounds. He has pulled down eight boards in back-to-back games.
• Benard's 10 points on Tuesday are a season high.
• Ijeoma's eight points are a season high for him, and he is the third different player on this year's roster to record multiple blocked shots in a game.  
• The Griffs were without three players on Tuesday. Marcus Niblack and Andreo Ash missed the game due to illness, while Max Jusianiec did not dress because of a foot injury.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out its five-game road stretch on Monday, Dec. 22, when the team travels to play at Duquesne in Pittsburgh, Pa. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+. That game at Duquesne is Canisius' final scheduled non-league game for the 2025-26 campaign.
 
Tickets for all Canisius home men's basketball games can be purchased online by CLICKING HERE. Tickets can also be purchased by phone by calling (716) 888-TIXX or in person at the Canisius ticket office, located in the Koessler Athletic Center lobby, during normal business hours and 90 minutes before tip-off on game day.
 
SUPPORT THE GRIFFS
CLICK HERE to Support the Men's Basketball Excellence Fund
Like Canisius Athletics on Facebook
Follow @GoGriffs and @Griffs_MBB on X
Follow @GoGriffs and @Griffs_MBB on Instagram
 
Print Friendly Version