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Mackenzie Amalia celebrates the Griffs win over Quinnipiac on Jan. 18, 2024
Joe Lehrman
58
Quinnipiac QU 7-8,4-2 MAAC
69
Winner Canisius Canis 10-6,5-2 MAAC
Quinnipiac QU
7-8,4-2 MAAC
58
Final
69
Canisius Canis
10-6,5-2 MAAC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Quinnipiac QU 13 24 13 8 58
Canisius Canis 4 18 25 22 69

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women's Basketball Surges in Fourth Quarter to Leave Quinnipiac Out in the Cold

Canisius outscored Quinnipiac by a 22-8 margin in the fourth quarter to highlight a 17-point comeback as it claimed a 69-58 victory in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women's basketball action Thursday at the Koessler Athletic Center.
 
With the win, the Golden Griffins improved their record to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in MAAC play while Quinnipiac slipped to 7-8 and 4-2 in conference action.
 
Pacing the Griffs offense was sophomore Sisi Eleko, who poured in 17 points. Graduate student Grace Heeps (15), junior Athina Lexa (12 and senior Mackenzie Amalia (10) rounded out the Griffs' quartet of double-digit scorers. On the glass, Heeps and Amalia each collected a team-best seven rebounds, with Amalia also dishing out seven assists.
 
Karson Martin led the Bobcats with a game-high 23 points while Anna Foley and Grace LaBarge added in 18 and 13 points, respectively. On the glass, LaBarge and Ella O'Donnell nabbed eight boards each, with O'Donnell also dishing out a team-best three helpers.
 
Trailing 50-47 entering the fourth quarter, graduate student Bri Rozzi tied the game for Canisius for the first time since the start of the contest, connecting on a shot from deep to make it 50-50.  
After a pair of free throws from the Bobcats, the Griffs offense took off, going on a 7-0 run to claim their first lead of the game and hold a 57-52 edge with 5:27 left.  
The Canisius offense continued to control play, shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the floor to expand lead to nine, 65-56, with 1:18 to play. The Griffs closed the game a perfect 4-for-4 from the charity stripe to hold off Quinnipiac, complete the 17-point comeback and pick up their fifth conference win of the year. Earlier in the contest, the Bobcats stymied the Canisius offense off the opening tip as it limited the Griffs to just four points, all from the free-throw line, to hold a 13-4 lead after 10 minutes.
 
Canisius started to find its footing in the middle part of the second stanza, using an 12-4 spurt, paced by five points from Lexa, to cut into the Quinnipiac lead and make it a 27-18 contest with 3:31 left before the half. But a late 10-4 run from the Bobcats allowed them to enter the locker room ahead, 37-22.
 
The Blue and Gold opened the second half with a bang, riding a 7-2 spurt to trim the deficit to 39-29 and force a Quinnipiac timeout.
 
The Bobcats matained a multiple-possession lead for a majority of the third, but a late 11-3 run that was ignited by an Eleko layup, allowed the Griffs to trim their deficit to just three entering the final quarter and set the stage for their late-game surge.
 
POSTGAME COMMENTS
GAME NOTES
• Thursday's victory was the program's first-ever win over Quinnipiac.
• The Griffs tallied 25 points in the third quarter, the second highest point total for the Griffs in a quarter this season. Canisius totaled 26 during the third quarter in their win at Binghamton on Dec. 8.
• Lexa eclipsed double-digits for the eighth time this season and second consecutive contest with her 12 points on Thursday.
• Canisius tallied 47 points in the second half on Thursday, marking the first time the Griffs have registered 45-or-more points in a half since Jan. 18, 2020 at Quinnipiac.
• Canisius held Quinnipiac to just eight points in the fourth quarter. The last time Canisius limited an opponent to less than 10 fourth quarter points was at Saint Peter's Jan. 11.
• This is the first 15+ point comeback for Canisius since Dec. 21 at Youngstown State.
• Heeps' 15 points represented a season high for the graduate guard
• Eleko finished in double figures for the fifth consecutive contest with her team-high 17 points. 
 
UP NEXT
Canisius closes its two-game homestand Saturday when it entertains Manhattan on Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day. Tip-off at the Koessler Athletic Center is set for 1 p.m., with the game airing on ESPN+.
 
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