BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Perilously close to becoming the only winless team in NCAA Division I men's basketball, Canisius claimed its first victory with coach Jim Christian on the bench.
Friday night's 85-68 rout of Rider at the Koessler Center followed 14 losses, the worst start in history for the Golden Griffins, and avoided matching the longest losing streak in team history from the end of the 1957-58 season.
"Our team had a lot of resolve," Christian said. "It's not easy to do what we just did. To stock together and keep fighting and keep trying to get better. It clicked tonight."
"It feels great," said Paul McMillan IV, who led the Griffs with 30 points on 12 of 17 shooting, along with seven rebounds and five assists. "We've been through a lot this year with all the trials and tribulations of starting 0-14. It feels good to get that first win and get the weight off our shoulders."
McMillan, who ranks 12th in the country averaging 20.4 points per game, led four double-figure scorers, as Jasman Sangha, Tana Kopa, and Dylan Godfrey each scored 16. Anthony Bernard had seven points and nine assists, and the Griffs had their highest point total of the season on 62% shooting.
The fourth Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game for Canisius was its sixth at home this season, and first since Dec. 14.
"We've been on the road a lot," McMillan said. "It felt good to be back in front of the home crowd."
Rider (3-11) extended its losing streak to nine in losing a game it was favored by 3.5 points. KenPom ratings gave Canisius its best chance to win (41%) of the remaining games on the schedule.
Alcorn State is now the only winless team in D-1, but has a 69% chance to win at home Saturday against Alabama A&M, according to KenPom.
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Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.