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Bryan Ndjonga drives baseline and scores in a home game against Marist on Jan. 30, 2026.
Oliveri Photos
88
Winner Marist Marist 14-7,8-4 MAAC
86
Canisius Canis 8-14,3-8 MAAC
Winner
Marist Marist
14-7,8-4 MAAC
88
Final
86
Canisius Canis
8-14,3-8 MAAC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 F
Marist Marist 37 36 15 88
Canisius Canis 35 38 13 86

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

Men’s Basketball Drops OT Thriller to Marist

Marist guard Rhyjon Blackwell scored eight of his 20 points in overtime to help lead the visiting Red Foxes to an 88-86 overtime victory over Canisius in MAAC men's basketball action Friday night at the Koessler Athletic Center.
 
Justin Menard led all scorers with 22 points, while Elijah Lewis added 20 points, nine rebounds and five assists to the winning effort for Marist, which improved to 14-7 overall and 8-4 in MAAC play with the victory. The Golden Griffins fell to 8-14 overall and 3-8 in league play with their sixth-straight loss.
 
All five starters scored in double-figures for Canisius, led by junior Bryan Ndjonga, who scored a team-high 21 points to go with nine rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot. Fellow junior Kahlil Singleton added 20 points, while freshman Javante Edwards chipped in a season-high 17 points to go with five assists and four steals. Junior Mike Evbagharu registered a double-double with 11 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, and graduate student Myles Wilmoth was good for 10 points, six boards and three assists in the losing effort.
 
Canisius trailed Marist 88-82 with 12 seconds remaining in the overtime session after Parby Kabamba knocked down 1-of-2 free-throws. After Kabamba missed the second free-throw chance, Canisius raced down the floor and Singleton scored a driving lay-up to make it a four-point game at 88-84 with 4.8 seconds left in OT. On the ensuing in-bounds play, Marist was unable to get the ball in play before the five-second count, and the Griffs quickly scored and trimmed Marist's advantage to 88-86 thanks to a lay-up by Ndjonga with 2.8 seconds remaining. On the next in-bounds play, Blackwell was called for an offensive foul, which gave Canisius the ball with no timeouts and 2.4 seconds showing on the clock.
 
On the Griffs' effort to in-bound the ball, Lewis was able to cut into the passing lane and knock the pass loose. Marist gained possession and tossed the ball up the floor as the final horn sounded.
 
In a game that featured 11 lead changes and 10 ties, Canisius trailed 69-65 with 2:05 left in regulation time after Menard drilled his only 3-point basket of the night from the top of the key. The Griffs scored the game's next four points to knot the score at 69-69 with 1:13 left, but Menard put the Red Foxes back on top with a lay-up with 52 seconds remaining.
 
On Canisius' next possession, Ndjonga was fouled and sent to the free-throw line where he made one-of-two free-throw chances to cut Marist's lead to 71-70. The Griffs were able to get the rebound on Ndjonga's miss on the second free-throw attempt, and after working the clock down, Singleton drove to the bucket and scored a traditional three-point play with 15.8 seconds left on the clock to put the Blue and Gold ahead at 73-71.
 
Out of Marist's final timeout, Blackwell got loose behind the Griffs' defense and scored a lay-up on a pass over the top from Lewis with 2.4 seconds left to tie the game. Canisius' last-second half-court heave at the end of regulation fell short.
 
Canisius ended the game by shooting 47.6 percent from the field and the team made 10 3-pointers, but shot just 61.5 percent (16-for-26) from the free-throw line. Marist shot 55.6 percent from the floor in the victory, making 50of-16 shots from behind the arc. The Red Foxes also shot 82.1 percent (23-for-28) from the charity stripe and out-rebounded the Griffs, 34-33, with 13 of Canisius' 33 rebounds coming off the offensive glass.


 
GAME NOTES
• Friday was the 63rd all-time meeting between the two schools. Canisius leads the series, 35-28, but Marist has won the last seven in the series.
• Canisius played its first overtime game since March 9, 2024, and Friday marked the third time in series history where Canisius and Marist played an overtime contest. Marist is 2-1 in that portion of the series.
• Friday marked the first time five Griffs scored in double-figures in a game since the team beat Allegheny at home on Nov. 6.
• Ndjonga's 21-point game was his third 20-point performance of the season. All three of those games have come in league play.
• Singleton has scored 20-or more points a team-leading seven times this year.
• Edwards led all players with four 3-point field goals. It was the second time this season, and the first since the game at St. Bonaventure Nov. 8, where he made multiple treys in a game.
• Evbagharu's double-double was his second of the season and the seventh in his career.
• Evbagharu played 44:06 on Friday, making him the first Griff since Phil Valenti and Kassius Robertson to play 44-plus minutes in a game. Both Valenti and Robertson played 47-plus minutes in a triple-overtime game against Niagara in the MAAC Tournament on March 3, 2016.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius will close out its two-game MAAC weekend at home Sunday when the team plays Siena. Game time is set for 1 p.m., and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
 
Sunday's game is presented by Batavia Downs, and fans will have the chance to meet former Buffalo Bills running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer Thurman Thomas pregame. Tickets for the game against Siena, and all remaining 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.
 
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CLICK HERE to Support the Men's Basketball Excellence Fund

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