BUFFALO, NY – Three Hawks scored in double figures on the night, but Monmouth University men's basketball had its four-game winning streak snapped on Thursday night by Canisius College at the Koessler Athletic Center, 80-66. MU falls to 6-15, 5-3 in the MAAC while the Golden Griffins improve to 8-11, 5-2 in conference play.

Canisius opened the second half on an 18-7 run that included threes from Isaiah Reese and Scott Hitchon to open up an 11-point lead. MU got it within single digits but the home team was able to gradually build on their lead throughout the period, eventually winning by a 14-point margin.

Ray Salnave's (Elmont, NY/Benjamin N. Cardozo) acrobatic three-point play at 15:01 of the opening half gave Monmouth a 13-12 lead, and after Canisius took it back on a Jonathan Sanks jumper, Pillari hit a three to spark MU to a lead that would grow as high as six when Samuel Chaput (Longueuil, Quebec/Saint Anthony's (TX)) floated one off glass at 4:52. The Blue and White led into the final stages of the period before Reese's falling away baseline jumper went down to tie things with 35 seconds left, sending the teams to the locker room all square.

NOTES AND QUOTES
"It was a good game until halftime, and then we just didn't come out of the locker room. That happens sometimes, it was a very physical game and there were lots of fouls called to start the second half which kind of set the tempo and those guys came out on fire and we didn't, that's the game." – Head Coach King Rice

-Monmouth had its season-long four-game winning streak snapped.
-The Hawks lost for the first time in two weeks (January 10).
-Diago Quinn grabbed eight rebounds for the fifth time this season and third time in the last four games.
-Ray Salnave tied for the team lead in scoring with 14, his sixth consecutive game in double figures.
-Deion Hammond tied Salnave for the team high in scoring with 14 points, his 13^th game this year in double digits.
-Hammond has made 17 consecutive free throws and has been perfect in two games in a row, going 8-8 from the line tonight. 
-Nick Rutherford's five steals is the most by a Hawk this season, tying his own record with five on 11/15 against West Virginia.
-Nick Rutherford set his high in a Monmouth uniform with two blocks on the night, both coming in the first half.
-Monmouth was tied at the half for the first time this season.
-Playing his first extended minutes since returning from injury, Louie Pillari scored in double figures for the fourth time this season, doing so in 9:45 on the court.
-The Hawks are now 7-5 all time against Canisius.

NUMBERS CRUNCH
-Monmouth was outshot 59.2% to 37.5%.
-MU netted 18 points off turnovers in comparison to 16 for Canisius.
-The Hawks topped Canisius on the fast break 17-6.
-The game featured eight lead changes and seven ties.

UP NEXT
-Monmouth concludes the Western New York swing on Saturday at Niagara, with tip set for 3:00 p.m.