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Canisius University Athletics

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Athina Lexa high-fives head coach Sahar Nusseibeh at Binghamton on Dec. 8, 2023
Max Sacco
71
Winner Canisius Canis 4-3,0-0 MAAC
64
Binghamton Bingha 2-8,0-0 America East
Winner
Canisius Canis
4-3,0-0 MAAC
71
Final
64
Binghamton Bingha
2-8,0-0 America East
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Canisius Canis 21 9 26 15 71
Binghamton Bingha 15 17 12 20 64

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Lexa's Career Day Helps Women's Basketball Stymie Binghamton

Junior Athina Lexa drained a career-high five 3-pointers on her way to a personal-best 21 points to propel Canisius to a 71-64 victory over Binghamton in intercollegiate women's basketball action Friday night at Dr. Bai Lee Court in Vestal, N.Y.
 
With the win the Golden Griffins moved to 4-3 on the season while the Bearcats fell to 2-8.
 
Sophomore Sisi Eleko joined Lexa in double figures as she notched her MAAC-leading fifth double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while senior Mackenzie Amalia chipped in 13 points of her own. On the glass, graduate student Grace Heeps collected five boards of her own with fellow graduate student Bri Rozzi notching a game-high three steals. Beyond the arc, Canisius shot 15-of-24 (.625) compared to 8-of-17 (.471) for Binghamton.
 
Ella Wanzer led the Bearcats with 18 points. Bella Pucci chipped in 11 points of her own while adding in five boards.
 
After a slow start to the opening stanza, the Griffs offense would take off in the final four minutes with a 13-5 run, capped by a buzzer-beater from Eleko, to enter the second quarter ahead, 21-15.
   
The Blue and Gold offense did not slow down at the start of the second frame, riding a 7-2 run over the opening 2:59 to expand their lead to double figures, 28-17.
 
Binghamton would flip the tide its way moments later, responding with a 15-2 stretch, led by five points from Ella Wanzer while holding Canisius scoreless for the final 4:46 to enter the locker room ahead, 32-30.
 
The Griffs would surge back in front during a dominant third quarter that saw them outscore Binghamton, 26-12, during the frame on their way to building a 56-44 cushion. Canisius used a pair of lengthy runs during the frame, opening the stanza with a 16-4 stretch before closing out the quarter by scoring 10 of the final 16 points to take a double-digit lead into the final frame.  Binghamton would stymie the Griffs offense to start the fourth, scoring the first 11 points over the opening 3:50 of the frame to cut the defect to just one, 56-55. Still, the Griffs would weather the storm and seal the game with a Heeps 3-pointer and a pair of free-throws to leave Binghamton with a seven-point win.  
GAME NOTES
• Canisius now leads the all-time series against Binghamton, 9-4, and is now 4-3 against the Bearcats on the road.
• Lexa's five makes from deep are a career-high and make her the first Griff since Jane McCauley to hit five threes in a game. McCauley accomplished the feat last season on Jan. 5.
• Canisius' 15 3-pointers are the most in a game since Jan. 29, 2022 against Siena where it also hit 15.
• Heeps now improves to 7-2 all-time against Binghamton dating back to her time at UAlbany.
• Canisius' 26 points in the third quarter represent a season-high for points scored in a quarter.
• Eleko was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc.
• Canisius and Binghamton were tied in bench points, 25-25.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius begins MAAC play Dec. 16 with a tilt at Siena. Tip-off from Loudonville, N.Y., is set for 2 p.m., with the game airing on ESPN+.
 
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