Campus Watch

Niagara's Juan'ya Green has been named MAAC Player of the Week. Here's the league release:

EDISON, N.J. – Sophomore Juan’ya Green was named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Player of the Week on Monday for the first time in his career.

Green helped lead the Niagara Purple Eagles to a 2-0 weekend as they defeated Marist and Fairfield to extend their conference winning streak to three games. Green averaged 26.0 points per game while shooting a blistering 65.5 percent (19-for-29) from the field and 92.3 percent (12-for-13) at the free throw-line line; he also converted on both 3-pointers he attempted. The Philadelphia native led the team with 4.0 assists per game and 3.0 steals per game. Green recorded consecutive 20-plus point games, beginning on Thursday versus Marist. Green finished with 21 points, five assists, four rebounds and two steals as the Purple Eagles had season-highs in points (94) and in field goal percentage (52.2).

Green was the catalyst to NU’s first win against Fairfield since Jan. 4, 2010. Green led all scorers with a season-high 31 points, which is the most by a Purple Eagle this season, for his fourth career 30-point game. Green, who played in the entire game, scored 21 of his 31 points in the second half. Green put NU back in front twice in the second half and was clutch at the free-throw line as NU held off Fairfield for the 71-67 win. Green’s game-high 12 free throws tied a career-best and are the most this season for NU. Green added a game-high four steals and led NU with three assists.

Game analysis: This was a little more like the Canisius team we've seen over the last month or so. They shot 56 percent in the first half and built a 16-point lead in the second. While Marist whittled the advantage down to six in the last few minutes, the Golden Griffins held on for a 73-64 win on Saturday.

How Canisius won: The offensive punch missing from Thursday's loss against Fairfield returned against Marist. Isaac Sosa was 5 of 11 from 3-point range and finished with a team-high 22 points while Billy Baron added 17 points and 10 assists. The Griffs were 10 of 23 from beyond the arc.

Turning Point: The 9-0 run to start the game was huge for Canisius, who struggled to find anything positive offensively from the Fairfield blow out. Baron set the tone by nailing his first two threes and everything fell into place.

Player of the Game: Sosa's stretch of four consecutive 3-pointers gave the Griffs enough breathing room to hold back hard-charging Marist at the end.

Unsung player of the game: Chris Manhertz. You'll be hard pressed to find someone who works the boards harder than the 6-6 glass master from the Bronx. He grabbed 14 rebounds and when you factor in his 18-rebound effort against the Red Foxes on Dec. 9, he averaged 16 boards in two games against Marist. He also averaged 6.5 offensive rebounds.

Key stat: Marist's bench went scoreless.

Key stat II: Canisius had 17 assists AND 17 turnovers. Not good.

Suspended: Senior guard Alshwan Hymes was been suspended indefinitely for a violation of team rules. A source said Hymes got into an argument with an assistant coach. Hymes seemed to be working his way out of the guard rotation recently and in his last five games he was just 3 of 9 and hadn't attempted a 3-pointer in the last two. He played just three minutes on Thursday against Fairfield.

"It's a team issue, that's what it is," coach Jim Baron said. "We'll see, we're taking it day to day. It's my decision."

What It Means: Canisius and rival Niagara are tied for first place in the MAAC at 3-1. Way too early to get excited.

In the House: 1,401 at the KAC.

He said it: "He's got a will. It's hard when a kid has will. He's not excepting a box out." - Marist Chuck Martin coach on Manherz.

Up next: Canisius hits the road for last place Siena at 7 p.m. on Friday.

---Rodney McKissic

Niagara 71, Fairfield 67

How Niagara Won: A look at Fairfield's shooting numbers (28 of 53) might spring the conclusion the Purple Eagles somehow escaped a sub-par defensive effort. A look at Fairfield turnover count (21) shines a light on what really transpired. A lack of size leaves Niagara's zone susceptible on the interior, but their quickness creates the kind of mayhem that leads to mistakes and the Stags made too many to escape with what would have been a third straight sweep of a trip to Western New York.

Player of the Game: There was no stopping Juan'ya Green. He took the game into his own hands over the final 10 minutes, scored 15 of Niagara's final 20 points and finished with a season-high 31. It's understandable that coach Joe Mihalich wants to work freshman point guard Tahjere McCall into the mix. But the fact is Green's at his best when he's quarterbacking the offense instead of playing the 2 guard.

Best Supporting Role: Niagara center Devon White made his presence felt right from the outset with two steals inside the opening three minutes. He finished with eight points, eight rebounds, three steals and a block. But it's worrisome he picked up at least his third flagrant foul of the season. If he gets ejected at some point Niagara will have issues.

What It Means: The Purple Eagles (7-7. 2-2) retained a share of first place by knocking off a team that had won six straight, including Thursday night's destruction of Canisius at the Koessler Center. Size could be an issue for the Stags (10-6, 2-2) over the long haul but they were only a decent Derek Needham shooting night away from maybe leaving Buffalo with two wins. Needham, one of the conference's top guards, was just 5 of 17 from the field, including 1 of 9 from three.

In the House: The students are still at home but the local support (1,445) appears to be growing.

Stat Check: This shows how effective Niagara was in taking dribble-penetration straight to the basket. The Purple Eagles had 21 field goals -- and only four assists. (Green had three of them).

Stat Check II: Someone look up the last time the Purple Eagles scored 71 points with only two threes to their credit.

They Said It:

Joe Mihalich on Niagara's array of offensive weapons: "We have the luxury of (Green) having the ball or Antoine having the ball. If MJ’s in there you got to guard him because he can shoot. Now you got Devon that can score down low. Ameen. So it’s a balance and I think Juan’ya be the first guy to tell you that the reason he can play some one-on-one there is they can’t help off of Mason, they can’t help  off of MJ, they can’t help off of Dev now. Tonight was his chance to kind of take advantage of what was there. Maybe next time it could be Mason. After that it could be Devon being able to do it."

Mihalich on the mindset coming in: "We talked about being tough early because we thought that those games that they won Fairfield was the toughest team early on. So I thought we won that little game within the game."

Fairfield coach Sydney Johnson: "For us it came down to our missed free throws (6 of 15), out turnovers (21) and the free throw disparity (Niagara shot 37). Those were three things that were amazing. We were very poor from the line. We threw the ball all over the place, and Joe's team forced us to do a lot of that. And the free throws, the disparity's almost insurmountable."

Heating Up: Green had 52 points over the last two games, marking the first time this season he's gone over 20 in consecutive starts.

Cooling Off: Freshman T.J Cline's unorthodox shooting stroke might appear less ugly if a shot found the basket every now and then. He started out the season shooting 5 of 8 from three. Since then he's 9 for 50, including 0 of 4 Saturday.

Next Up: The Purple Eagles step outside the MAAC to play at Brown Tuesday night. Fairfield plays its fourth straight conference road game at Loyola Friday night then returns home Sunday for a rapid-turnaround rematch with Niagara.

-- Bob DiCesare

Niagara 94, Marist 72

How Niagara Won: They looked like two teams coming off the holidays as the Purple Eagles and Red Foxes combined for miss the game's first 10 shots. Niagara kicked it in then and there, making 29 of its next 32, opening a 51-30 halftime bulge and coasting from there.

Turning Point: Marist went scoreless the opening 7 minutes and 23 seconds, fell behind 13-0 and never made a serious run.

Player of the Game: Ameen Tanksley played only 27 minutes but still came up with his third double-double of the season. His 22 points were a season-high and his 12 boards matched his season's best.

Best Supporting Role: Malcolm Lemmons scored 11 points off the bench for the second time in four games. He's made 11 of his last 16 shots from the floor. Trouble is, guard minutes are hard to come by on Monteagle Ridge.

What It Means: Niagara is 2-1 and has won its conference home opener for the first time in three years. They have a share of the MAAC lead after three games for the first time since '08-09.

Stat Check: Niagara's 94 points against just nine turnovers is quite the feat.

Stat Check II: Can someone please look up the last time Niagara scored 50 points in the paint?

In the House: Just 1,159 with the students still on break.

They Said It:

Juan'ya Green on playing more 2 guard with freshman Tanjere McCall handling some of the point: "I'm trying to adjust to it but I think it's worked out for both of us."

Niagara coach Joe Mihalich on the point position: "The feeling from our point of view is it's like I have two point guards out there."

Mihalich on Tanksley's grit: "That's when he's at his best. We talk about attitude and so forth. That's what makes Ameen a good player, when he plays that way."

Next Up: Red-hot Fairfield brings its seven-game winning streak to the Gallagher Center at 3 Saturday afternoon.

-- Bob DiCesare

Game analysis: A sore heel kept Harold Washington scoreless probably for the first time since he was a toddler, but Canisius managed to pick up the slack as four players finished in double figures as the Golden Griffins downed Alcorn State, 87-74

How Canisius won: Isaac Sosa picked up the slack for Washington with 21 points of 8 of 12 shooting and 5 of 9 from long range. They also went to the line 33 times, making 24, while outrebounding the Braves, 41-25.

Turning Point: There's something about Billy Baron where his intensity increases whenever Canisius is on the verge of trouble. Alcorn State cut the lead down to 65-53 with 8:31 left when Baron connected on a trey then fed Reggie Groves for another on the Griffs next possession. The 12-point advantage was up to 26 by the 4:33 mark which was started by the play of Baron.

Player of the Game: Sosa rarely fires up questionable shots, kind of like a hitter who never swings at bad pitches.

Welcome back: In the three games since returning from a foot injury, Alcorn's Marquiz Baker has scored 23 points against Santa Clara, 24 against SMU and now 30 against Canisius.

Family affair: Jimmy Baron, who played for his father at Rhode Island, is home for the holidays and is playing well in Russia. It was the first time Jimmy watched his brother, Billy, in person.

Key stat: Canisius grabbed 16 offensive rebounds which led to 26 second-chance points.

What It Means: This is the longest Canisius has gone without losing back-to-back games since the 1997-98 season.

In the House: 1,388

He Said It: "He knows how to make players better, he's not afraid to do that and I think he's getting better and better as the year goes on." - Jim Baron on his son Billy.

Up next: Canisius plays at 3 p.m. Sunday at Detroit.

---Rodney McKissic

Canisius 82, Longwood 54

How Canisius Won: The Griffs shot 50 percent from the field, a rousing 46 percent from three, forced 15 turnovers and drew four charges -- and not a single player logged more than 29 minutes. What does it say about their depth when leading scorers Billy Baron and Harold Washington combine for eight poits and they still win by 28?

Turning Point: Isaac Sosa drained three threes before the game was 2 1/2 minutes old. That set the tone right there. The Griffs ended up making 13 shots from behind the arc and have canned at least 12 in each of the last three games.

Player of the Game: Sosa attempted 12 shots, all threes, and made eight of them. That's one off the school record Alshwan Hymes set last season.

Best Supporting Role: Washington took just five shots but handed out a season-high seven assists. He had 30 points in last year's win at Longwood.

Stat Check: The Griffs drew four charges and are up to 19 on the season. Consider this: That's more than they took in 30 games last season.

Stat Check II: Longwood won the boards, 40-34, with 16 of those coming on the offensive end. Not good.

What It Means: The Griffs are 7-2 heading into the toughest back-to-back games on the schedule.

They Said It

Griffs coach Jim Baron on the rebounding totals: "We didn't rebound like we did against Syracuse or Marist and that's something we're going to have to be more consistent with."

Baron on Jordan Heath's ankle: "We'll ice him up tomorrow and take it one game at a time."

Baron on 6-foot-10 Freddy Asprilla drawing two charges: "I got a 300-pound guy taking a charge? That is huge. You know how hard that is for a 300-pound guy to take a charge? I mean, that is huge. That's unbelieveable. Because when our guards play matador defense . . . we have to cover down and our bigs have to step in."

In the House: There were 1,205 at the KAC with the students on break.

Next Up: The Griffs head to Philly to meet Temple on Wednesday night then book to Las Vegas for a game with No. 20 UNLV on Saturday.

-- Bob DiCesare

Syracuse 85, Canisius 61

How Syracuse Won: The Orangemen are a team of luxuries. Oft times their toughest decisions resolve around deciding just how they want to score. They went for 40 points in the paint. Netted 23 off turnovers. Hit four threes in each half. There's a lot to like about this Syracuse team. It could be their year.

Turning Point: Syracuse opened the second half all business. A three-point halftime lead ballooned to 50-35 on a Brandon Triche three with 14:55 remaining. Canisius was down double digits the rest of the way.

Player of the Game: Senior forward James Southerland is the energy boost off the bench and it was a sonic boom Saturday night. He poured in a game-high 21 points on 9 of 14 shooting from the field, including 3 of 6 from behind the arc.

Best Supporting Role: Michael Carter-Williams had 13 of his 14 assists in the second half when the Orange broke the game open.

Stat Check: Here's a major positive for Canisius to take forward -- the Griffs won the boards 37-34, including 16 at the offensive end. The progress has been immense since Canisius was beaten by 14 on the boards by UB on Nov. 20.

Stat Check II: The Griffs shot 12 of 30 from behind the arc thanks to a 7 of 14 second half.

What It Means: The No. 4 Orange are 9-0 and sure to climb to at least third in the rankings this week after top-ranked Indiana was knocked off by Butler. The Griffs are 6-2 and saw their second three-game winning streak come to an end.

In the House: There were 18,120 at the Carrier Dome. The students went on break Friday.

They Said It:

"I just take what people give me. My teammates know what my game is and they're going to find me when I'm open. That's their job, and my job is to knock them down." -- Griffs guard Isaac Sosa, who went 5 for 9 from three.

"Killer instinct. Extending the lead. Keeping that thing going." -- Canisius guard Billy Baron on where the Griffs can improve going forward.

"I like their team. I think Jimmy's done a great job." -- Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim on the Griffs.

Next Up: Canisius plays host to Longwood on Monday night at the KAC.

-- Bob DiCesare

Niagara 75, Hartford 59

How Niagara Won: The Purple Eagles managed to dictate an up-tempo game midway through the first half thanks to their work on the defensive end. They scored 14 straight en route to a 37-20 halftime lead and never were seriously threatened.

Player of the Game: Antoine Mason puts up the points so consistently it's easy to overlook him. Let's not. He had a game-high 19 points on 7-of-12 shooting and added seven boards, three assists and three steals. His 15-footer with about three minutes left righted the ship after Hartford rallied to within 10.

Best Supporting Role: Ameen Tanksley matched his season high with 16 points and had a season-best 12 rebounds.

Off the Bench: Malcolm Lemmons was a burst of energy for Niagara. He scored 11 points and had five rebounds and two assists in 18 minutes. He was as responsible as anybody for helping Niagara out of its early slumber.

What It Means: Victory No. 250 for Niagara coach Joe Mihalich. It was the first time all season Niagara (4-6) had all its players available.

Stat Check: Niagara went 14 of 23 from the field in the second half, which helped it overcome 11 turnovers.

Stat Check II: For the game Niagara shot 50 percent from the field, 50 percent from behind the arc and 70 percent from the free throw line. I'll bet it's been a long time since that's happened.

Did You Know: Hartford sophomore Nate Sikma is the son of nine-time NBA All-Star Jack Sikma. He had three points and three rebounds in 30 minutes but turned it over six times.

They Said It: "I don't know how many people know this, but he (Lemmons) missed about three weeks of the preseason. It made a difference for him. . . . So I think that screwed him up a little bit and he's getting it back." -- Mihalich.

"We actually have everybody on the court in practice so it's fun. It's going to be a fun year." -- Mason on Niagara getting back to full health.

"We made some substitutions and some young kids made some rushed plays. To the credit of Niagara, they went after those young kids. Then the flows of the game becomes Niagara's." -- Hartford coach John Gallagher.

"I say it all the time, I'm living the dream. I'm just lucky to be here, lucky to coach guys like these two (Mason and Tanksley) and the rest of the guys on the team. I'm lucky. I'm a lucky guy. I know it too." -- Mihalich on win No. 250.

In the House: There were 1,556 at Taps on a night when the 16th-ranked hockey team was playing across the way at Dwyer Arena.

Next Up: Niagara's home to Vermont at 2 Sunday afternoon. The Catamounts are 6-3 and should contend in America East.

-- Bob DiCesare

St. Bonaventure 58, Siena 43

How Bona Won: Siena's 43 points were the fewest by a Bona opponent since a lowly Binghamton team scored 40 on Nov. 20, 2009. Charlon Kloof took Evan Hymes, Siena's leading scorer, out of the game and the Bonnies took charge late, pulling away from a 43-40 lead with 8:08 remaining.

Turning Point: Mathew Wright struck for a conventional three-point play with 6:37 left for a 48-40 Bona advantage. It was a continuation call, NBA-style, but the home crowd had no gripe.

Player of the Game: Kloof set down the law with the job he did on Hymes and his teammates followed the lead. He also had eight points, two assists, two steals and a block.

Best Supporting Role: Senior forward Marquise Simmons came up with his second career double-double -- 12 points and 10 rebounds.

What It Means: Bona improved to 5-2 and ended a streak of five straight games decided by five points or less. Siena dropped to 2-7 but don't discount their ability to make a little noise in the MAAC.

Stat Check: Bona went 2 of 20 from three-point land with Eric Mosley accounting for both of them.

Stat Check II: Talk about a reversal. Bona went 16 of 17 from the line after missing 16 of 38 against UB Saturday.

Stat Check III: Bona committed just five turnovers. Siena had 17.

Short: Siena's O.D. Anosike came in leading the nation with seven double-doubles. He missed No. 8, with 14 rebounds but just seven points.

In the House: The late start kept the crowd to 3,482 but the students, psyched for a TV game, made up for the lack of overall numbers.

They Said It:

"We just stuck to our game plan that we went over all week in practice and then we executed good tonight for the most part." -- Simmons

"You want guys that are self-motivated. My job is to motivate them but there's some days where they need to motivate me. And Charlon is someone that comes to practice every day. You don't have to yell at Charlon. You don't have to get him going. He's a self-starter and that's what you want. Not all are like that. Most guys aren't like that. When you get a self-starter that's a joy to coach." -- Bona coach Mark Schmidt

Next Up: Bona plays at Arkansas State Saturday before returning home for games against Cleveland State and Citadel.

-- Bob DiCesare

OLEAN -- Whatever happeed to Siena, not long ago the kingpin of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference? The Saints limp into tonight's game at the Reilly Center just 2-6 and are 29-41 under third-year head coach Mitch Buonaguro. This despite the fact Siena features 6-8 senior O.D. Anosike, the nation's leader in double-double (seven) and second-leading rebounder (13.3).

This could be Bona's opportunity to end a streak that can't sit particularly well with coach Mark Schmidt -- five straight games decided by five points or fewer. Bona (4-2) owns a 27-6 advantage in the series, which qualifies as the best winning percentage by a Siena opponent that has played the Saints more than 10 times.

The 9 p.m. start came at the request of the NBC family of sports channels and, from the looks of things, will result in a scant crowd outside the robust student section.

-- Bob DiCesare