BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Canisius Golden Griffins used a dominant first quarter and consistent offensive execution to secure a 74-58 victory over the visiting Niagara Purple Eagles in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball game Tuesday night at Koessler Athletic Center.

The Golden Griffins improved to 4-18 overall, while the Purple Eagles remained winless at 0-22.

Canisius seized control from the opening tip, capitalizing on a frigid Niagara start. The Purple Eagles missed their first nine field goal attempts and committed five turnovers before finally scoring on a Talia Dial layup with 2:08 remaining in the first period. By that time, Canisius had built a 14-2 lead, fueled by early three-pointers from Mary Copple and Antionique Auston, along with efficient play from Franka Wittenberg and Yasmine Djibril. The quarter ended with Canisius ahead 16-6, a deficit from which Niagara could not recover.

The most important stretch of the game solidified in the third quarter. After Niagara’s Katarina Veljovic opened the second half with a layup to cut the deficit to 32-23, Canisius responded with a decisive 9-2 run. The surge was capped by an Irene Rey Pineda layup off an Auston assist, pushing the Golden Griffins’ lead to 41-25 with 6:33 left in the period. Niagara never got closer than 11 points the rest of the way, as Canisius consistently answered every Purple Eagle push with a score of its own, maintaining a double-digit cushion throughout the final quarter.

Statistical efficiency told the story of the contest. Canisius shot a robust 55.3% from the field, making 26 of 47 attempts, and was equally effective from the free-throw line, converting 16 of 20. Niagara struggled offensively, shooting just 37.9% on 22-of-58 shooting and a costly 55% from the foul line, making only 11 of 20. While both teams committed a high number of turnovers, with Niagara at 17 and Canisius at 19, the Golden Griffins’ superior shot-making proved the decisive factor.

Niagara was led by Talia Dial, who scored 15 points, and Jordyn Williams, a Buffalo native who added 11 points. Katarina Veljovic facilitated the offense with a team-high five assists to go with 13 points. For Canisius, the scoring was balanced, with Franka Wittenberg of Hildesheim, Germany, leading the way with 10 points. Irene Rey Pineda also scored 10, while Yasmine Djibril of Montreal, Canada, and Antionique Auston of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, contributed eight and seven points, respectively. Auston added four assists.

The game was a rematch of a Jan. 14 meeting, also won by Canisius, 57-41. The Golden Griffins have now won two straight in the series.

A crowd of 463 attended the conference matchup at the Golden Griffins’ home court. Canisius will next host Quinnipiac on Thursday. Niagara returns home to face Quinnipiac on Saturday.