GAME NOTES: The Iona Gaels and Canisius Golden Griffins are set to do battle in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action. Canisius has lost four of its last five games to fall to 4-18 overall and 2-10 in league play. The Golden Griffins are coming off a 74-62 loss to Loyola-Maryland on Sunday in front of a disappointed home crowd. Now they will play on the road where they are winless in 11 opportunities thus far. Iona has not achieved the level of success it envisioned prior to the start of this season. The Gaels are just 9-15 overall and 5-7 in league play, but their last two outings have resulted in victory. They have been idle since last Friday when they posted a 60-52 decision over Saint Peter's. Canisius won both meetings with Iona last season to take a 24-23 lead in the all-time series.

The top offensive performer for Canisius is Frank Turner, as he is scoring 12.5 ppg despite his 39.4 percent shooting from the floor. Turner has dished out 96 assists as well, more than three times as many as any other player on the roster. Unfortunately, Turner is the only double-digit scorer for the squad, as no other player is netting more than 7.8 ppg. The Golden Griffins are posting a mere 59.9 ppg on 39 percent shooting from the field, and they are permitting 73.0 ppg to the opposition. In the 12-point loss to Loyola on Sunday, Tomas Vazquez-Simmons scored 15 points and pulled down 10 rebounds for Canisius. Elton Frazier contributed 14 points and eight rebounds in the setback, and Greg Logins finished with 13 points. Unfortunately, the Griffs connected on only 33.3 percent of their field goal attempts in the setback and had seven more turnovers than assists.

Iona is scoring 65.2 ppg this season, but the squad is allowing 69.2 ppg to the opposition. The Gaels lack the type of player capable of taking over a game at the offensive end. Sure, they do have three double-digit scorers in the lineup, but the fact that Dexter Gray's 10.6 ppg are tops suggests a lack of punch. Milan Prodanovic is netting 10.3 ppg, and Devon Clarke is contributing 10.1 ppg. While Clarke is shooting 61.6 percent from the floor, Prodanovic is connecting on only 37.8 percent of his field goal attempts. Last Friday, Iona turned the ball over 21 times against Saint Peter's and finished just 4-of-16 from three-point range. Still, the Gaels found a way to win the game, and it certainly helped matters that they were able to earn a 44-34 rebounding advantage while limiting the Peacocks to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor.

Iona is the better of these two teams and has the advantage of playing at home tonight. Expect the Gaels to pull away in the second half.