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Canisius University Athletics

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Cam Palesse looks to make a pass during the first half of a road game at Rider on March 6, 2025.
Dave Schofield '71
50
Canisius Canis 3-27,3-16 MAAC
78
Winner Rider Rider 12-18,8-11 MAAC
Canisius Canis
3-27,3-16 MAAC
50
Final
78
Rider Rider
12-18,8-11 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Canisius Canis 25 25 50
Rider Rider 44 34 78

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Rider’s Early Run Dooms Men’s Basketball

The host Rider Broncs scored 14 of the game's first 18 points and never looked back en route to a 70-58 win over Canisius in MAAC men's basketball action Thursday night in Alumni Gymnasium in Lawrenceville, N.J.
 
The win moved Rider to 12-18 overall and 8-11 in league play, while the Golden Griffins fell to 3-27 overall and 3-16 in conference action.
 
Rider's Zion Cruz scored a team-high 12 points to lead three players in double-figures for the Broncs. T.J. Weeks Jr., added 11 points, while Cole McCabe came off the bench to post 10 points. Tariq Ingraham scored eight points, grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and dished out three assists in the win for Rider, which shot 48.4 percent from the field, made 8-of-27 3-pointers and hit on 8-of-12 chances from the free-throw line.
 
Canisius was led offensively by redshirt-sophomore Cam Palesse, who came off the bench and scored a game-high 13 points to go with five rebounds. Junior Gianni Thompson scored 10 points and grabbed five boards, while sophomore Anthony Benard was good for nine points on the power of a career-high three makes from 3-point land. For the game, Canisius shot 35.3 percent from the floor, made 6-of-22 shots from 3-point range and hit 8-of-10 free-throws. The Griffs were charged with 16 turnovers in the loss, which Rider turned into 24 points.
 
After the Griffs scored the first four points of the game, Rider took control with a 14-0 run over the game's next 3:29 that gave the Broncs a 14-4 lead with 14:21 left in the first half. A 3-pointer by senior Tana Kopa, his 90th 3-point field goal make of the season, ended the Rider scoring surge and got the Griffs within seven points at 14-7, but the home team answered on its next trip down the floor as Jay Alvarez knocked down one of his two 3-pointers on the night to drive the Broncs' lead back to 10 at 17-7 with 14:07 left before halftime. Canisius was unable to get the Broncs' lead to less than 10 points from that point on.
 
Freshman Evan van der Plas scored eight points and grabbed a season-high six rebounds in the losing effort for Canisius, while sophomore Dylan Godfrey grabbed a season-high seven rebounds for the Blue and Gold.
 
HEAD COACH JIM CHRISTIAN'S POSTGAME COMMENTS
   
GAME NOTES
• Thursday was the 61st all-time meeting between Canisius and Rider, and the Broncs lead the series 43-18.
• Canisius started its 14th different starting line-up combination on Thursday. The Griffs were without leading scorer, Paul McMillan IV, who missed the game with a back injury.
• The 13-point performance by Palesse was his eighth game of the season where he scored in double-digits.
• Kopa's two 3-point field goals in the game gives him multiple treys in 24 games this season and 80 times in his college career.
• Kopa is the fourth player in school history, and the first since Kassius Robertson in 2016-17, to make 90-or more 3-point field goals in a single season.
• Benard was credited with two steals in the loss, his 15th game of the season where he has recorded multiple steals.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out the 2024-25 regular season on the road Saturday at Saint Peter's. Game time between the Griffs and the Peacocks in Jersey City, N.J., is set for 2 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.
 
 
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