EMMITSBURG, Md. (Interstat) — A dominant second-half performance propelled Mount Saint Mary’s to a 68-47 victory over Canisius in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Sunday at a sold-out Knott Arena.

The Mountaineers, who trailed by four at halftime, outscored the Golden Griffins 48-23 after the break, turning a defensive struggle into a comfortable win in front of 2,626 fans. The game’s decisive stretch came immediately following intermission, as Mount Saint Mary’s unleashed a game-altering 18-2 run over the first six minutes of the second half.

Canisius, which led 24-20 at halftime behind a methodical but effective defensive effort, saw the game slip away in a flurry of Mountaineer transition baskets and forced turnovers. The Golden Griffins managed just two points in the first six minutes and 19 seconds of the second period, going scoreless for stretches of 4:19 and 3:47 as the Mountaineers built an insurmountable lead.

Mount Saint Mary’s guard Arlandus Keyes was the catalyst, orchestrating the offense and capitalizing on Canisius miscues. The sophomore from Florissant, Missouri, finished with 14 points, seven assists and three rebounds in 30 minutes, but his impact was most felt during the pivotal run where he scored or assisted on multiple baskets. His backcourt mate, Xavier Lipscomb, added 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers.

The Mountaineers’ defensive pressure was relentless, forcing 17 Canisius turnovers and converting them into 20 points. They also held a significant advantage in fastbreak points, 17-5, and points in the paint, 36-20. The offensive efficiency disparity was stark; Mount Saint Mary’s scored 110.3 points per 100 possessions while Canisius managed just 73.8.

Canisius was led by Kahlil Singleton’s 15 points. The guard from Vancouver, Washington, played 37 minutes but was hampered by the Mountaineers’ defensive focus. Forward Bryan Ndjonga, from Yaounde, Cameroon, contributed 13 points and four rebounds.

The first half was a grind, defined by poor shooting and physical play. Canisius shot just 33% from the floor before halftime but used a 7-0 run late in the period to establish its slim lead. Mount Saint Mary’s struggled even more, connecting on only 29% of its first-half shots. The tone changed utterly after the break, as the Mountaineers shot 51.5% in the second half and assisted on 10 of their 13 made field goals.

Mount Saint Mary’s also controlled the glass, grabbing 11 offensive rebounds to Canisius’ five, led by Luke McEldon’s seven rebounds and eight points. Justin Amadi added eight points, five rebounds and a block, while Yakhya Diop provided energy off the bench with six points and five rebounds in just 10 minutes.

With the win, Mount Saint Mary’s improves to 14-15 overall and evens its MAAC record. Canisius falls to 9-20 and remains near the bottom of the conference standings. The victory completed a regular-season sweep for the Mountaineers, who defeated the Golden Griffins 78-68 in Buffalo on Jan. 17.

The most important part of the game was the immediate and overwhelming surge by Mount Saint Mary’s to start the second half. After a first half where both teams combined for just 44 points on inefficient offense, the Mountaineers came out of the locker room with transformative energy. They scored on their first three possessions, including a three-pointer from Lipscomb and a driving layup from Keyes, to erase the deficit in under 90 seconds. The run continued unabated, fueled by consecutive steals from Keyes that led to easy baskets. This explosive 18-2 burst over the first 6:19 of the half completely shifted the momentum and established a double-digit lead from which a struggling Canisius offense, which went nearly five minutes without a field goal, could not recover. That segment turned a competitive defensive battle into a lopsided affair and decided the contest long before the final buzzer.

Mount Saint Mary’s travels to face Sacred Heart on Friday. Canisius returns home to host Merrimack, also on Friday.