Quinnipiac University
Canisius
QU Men's Basketball Winning Streak Halted at Canisius, 63-57
1/30/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Quinnipiac's three-game winning streak came to a close on Friday night, as the Bobcats fell short to Canisius College, 63-57, at the Koessler Athletic Center in Buffalo.
Winners in five of its last six entering the night, Quinnipiac met a tough-minded defense that held the visitors to just 33.3 percent shooting in the game. Coupled with 14 turnovers and just two three-point field goals, Canisius scored just enough to hold off Quinnipiac's late charge to escape with the MAAC triumph.
Ousmane Drame (Boston, Mass.) turned it on late to lead Quinnipiac in scoring with 20 points, adding 11 rebounds to complete his seventh straight double-double. The 6-foot-9 forward mustered 16 points in the second stanza, going 6-for-9 during the 20 minute span. He sank 8-of-9 from the charity stripe.
Zaid Hearst (Bethesda, Md.) neared his season average which didn't come easy for the senior guard. Hearst had 19 points on 8-of-24 shooting while getting to the free-throw line just twice (2-2) in the game. He added five rebounds in 38 minutes on the hardwood.
Trailing by eight points at halftime, Quinnipiac's shooting woes seemed to turn the corner early on in the second half. Quinnipiac used a 7-2 spurt, capped off by a Hearst layup, to make it a one possession game with 16:30 left. The Bobcats hovered and stayed within striking distance but never managed to get the big play they needed.
Quinnipiac narrowed the gap to three points on four different occasions in the second half, the latest coming with 11:22 left after a layup by Drame. That was the final difference of one possession, as Canisius leaned on an unlikely source of scoring in Kassius Robertson.
Canisius' leading scorer Zach Lewis finished with 12 points and Phil Valenti left early in the second half with an injury, but Robertson picked up the slack with a career high 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Most of the 16 points came in transition, leaking out for a fast-break layup on several occasions. Canisius held a 12-0 advantage in that category.
Quinnipiac battled to the end, thinning the deficit to four points with 28 ticks left after a three-point play from Drame. Robertson sank two on the other end though, and the two teams traded points to close out regulation.
The Bobcats stayed true to their identity on the backboards, earning a 48-40 advantage for the game. Quinnipiac also went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line to help its nationally ranked team percentage.
Justin Harris (Paterson, N.J.) turned in a fine all-around performance for Quinnipiac, grabbing seven points, eight rebounds and three blocks. Kasim Chandler (Newark, N.J.) chimed in with four points, James Ford, Jr. (Hopewell, Va.) with three, and Evan Conti (Bayside, N.Y.) and Chaise Daniels (Meriden, Conn.) each had a bucket.
Turnovers and poor shooting contributed to a double digit lead in the first half for Canisius. Quinnipiac had 10 turnovers and shot just 29.6 percent from the floor – aiding a 12 point advantage for the Griffs after a Robertson layup with 4:46 remaining in the opening stanza. Canisius led by eight, 33-25, at the break.
Quinnipiac wraps up its two-game road swing at Niagara University on Sunday, Feb. 1. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. at the Gallagher Center in Lewiston, N.Y.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2014-15 campaign can call the QU Ticket Office at 203-582-3905, visit the official website of Quinnipiac athletics, www.QuinnipiacBobcats.com or make a trip to the TD Bank Sports Center Ticket Office.
Quinnipiac's 'Go For 3' package is still available throughout the remainder of the 2014-15 season. The package allows fans to purchase three men's basketball tickets at a special discounted rate. The 'Go For 3' bundle is $30 for adults and $12 for children and senior citizens.
Student-athletes, parents and fans can download the QU Athletics schedules to your laptop and mobile devices for free by clicking in the iCalendar link at the bottom of each sport's homepage or the master schedule page. Please follow Quinnipiac Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@QUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates.
