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Canisius University Athletics

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Cam Palesse takes a jump shot in the second half of a home game against Marist on Jan. 25, 2025.
Oliveri Photos
93
Winner Canisius Canis 3-24,3-13 MAAC
88
Siena Siena 13-15,8-9 MAAC
Winner
Canisius Canis
3-24,3-13 MAAC
93
Final
88
Siena Siena
13-15,8-9 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Canisius Canis 37 56 93
Siena Siena 27 61 88

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Balanced Scoring Attack Leads Men’s Basketball to Win at Siena

All five Canisius starters scored in double-figures, led by junior Paul McMillan IV and his team-high 21 points, as the Golden Griffins went on the road and scored a 93-88 victory at Siena in MAAC men's basketball action Sunday afternoon at MVP Arena in downtown Albany.
 
The win snapped Canisius' eight-game losing streak losing skid and improved the Blue and Gold to 3-24 overall and 3-13 in MAAC play, while Siena fell to 13-15 overall and 8-9 in conference action with the loss.
 
As a team, Canisius shot 55.6 percent from the floor, 50 percent (8-for-16) from 3-point land and 86.2 percent from the free-throw line in the victory, as the Blue and Gold knocked down a season-high 25 free-throws on a season most 29 attempts. The 93 points are the most for the team in a game this season, and the Griffs out-rounded Siena 32-30, marking just the fourth time this season where Canisius grabbed more rebounds than its opponents.
 
McMillan IV, the MAAC's leading scorer and one of 10 players in the nation to average better than 20.0 points per game, scored his team-high 21 points after he went 7-for-14 from the field, 1-for-3 from 3-point land and 6-for-8 from the free-throw line in 38 minutes of action. He also grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in the victory. Senior Tana Kopa was good for 18 points, redshirt-sophomore Cam Palesse and sophomore Dylan Godfrey each chipped in 16 points and sophomore Anthony Benard added a career-high 14 points to go with four assists and a game-high five steals. As a team, Canisius recorded a season-high 15 steals in the game, as all seven players who saw time in the win were credited with at least one steal.
 
For Siena, Gavin Doty scored a game-high 23 points, while Reid Ducharme added 21 points off the bench. Brendan Coyle posted 20 and registered five steals as Siena turned the Griffs over 19 times on the day, with 11 of those coming in the game's second half. For the game, Siena shot 46 percent from the field, made 9-of-26 tries from 3-point land and shot 95.5 percent (21-for-22) from the free-throw line, but turned the ball over 18 times, which the Blue and Gold converted into 20 points.
 
A 3-point field goal from the top of the key by Benard with 3:11 left in the first half started a 7-0 run for the Griffs that turned a 25-25 game into a 32-25 Canisius lead. After the teams traded buckets in the final 90 seconds of the opening stanza, Canisius was charged with a shot-clock violation with 8.1 seconds left before halftime, giving Siena that ball. But the Saints never got a shot off, as Palesse stole the ball and banged home a 35-footer as the horn sounded to send Canisius into the locker room at halftime up 10 at 37-27.
 
Out of the break, Canisius scored the first seven points of the second half to take a 44-27 lead with 16:55 remaining. Siena battled back and whittled the Griffs' lead down to 10 at 52-42 with 11:05 remaining, but Kopa answered on Canisius' next possession with a step-back trey from the top of the key to give the Griffs a 55-42 lead. On Siena's next possession, the Saints missed three-straight tip-in attempts before Godfrey finally grabbed the rebound, where he was fouled to stop the game. After the play, Siena was charged with a deadball contact technical foul, allowing Godfrey, an 81 percent free-throw shooter, to make four-straight free-throws to give Canisius a 59-42 advantage. Canisius kept the ball after the deadball technical foul, and junior Gianni Thompson muscled his way to the basket for two of his eight points on the afternoon to put the Blue and Gold up 61-42 with 9:14 remaining.
 
Canisius maintained a double-digit lead until 1:10 left when Doty converted a traditional three-point play that cut the Griffs' lead to nine at 90-81. McMillan IV made two free-throws to give Canisius an 11-point advantage with 35 seconds remaining and despite five points from Colye in a nine-second span, the Griffs sealed the win at the free-throw line after Benard hit 1-of-2 tries with 15 second left on the clock.
 
HEAD COACH JIM CHRISTIAN'S POSTGAME COMMENTS  
GAME NOTES
• Sunday was the 114th all-time meeting between Canisius and Siena, and the Saints lead the series 59-55. Canisius' series with Siena is the program's third-most played, trailing only Niagara (195) and St. Bonaventure (172).
• The win at MVP Arena in downtown Albany is just the ninth for the Griffs in series history. Including last year's win, this marks only the second time in series history, and the first time since 2013-14 and 2014-15, where the Blue and Gold have won in back-to-back years at Siena's downtown home.
• Canisius' 93 points scored are the most for the program in a road game against Siena at MVP Arena.
• The Griffs scored a season-high 42 points in the paint in the game.
• Sunday marked the first time Canisius made more than 20 free-throws in a game since the team hit 22 charity tosses in a win over Western Kentucky on Nov. 25, 2023.
• Prior to Sunday, the last time all five Canisius starters scored in double-figures was Dec. 21, 2022, when the team beat FGCU at home.
• McMillan IV's 21 points on Sunday gives him 20-or more in a game 17 times this year, the most for any player in the MAAC.
• Benard needs one more steal to become the first Griff since Malik Johnson in 2019-20 to record 50-or more steals in a season.
• Kopa's two 3-point makes on Sunday gives him multiple 3-point baskets in 21 games this year and 69 games through his college career.
• Kopa's two makes from long range on Sunday made him the seventh different Griff to make 80-or more treys in a single-season.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will return home next weekend for its final two games in the Koessler Athletic Center this season, starting Friday, Feb. 28 when the Griffs play host to Manhattan. Game time is set for 7 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+. The Canisius radio call will be available at GoGriffs.com through the Golden Griffin Broadcast Network, on the Varsity Network APP and on X through the @GoGriffs handle.
 
Tickets for the final two home men's basketball games of the season can be purchased online by CLICKING HERE.
 
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