Canisius 68, Manhattan 59: 4 Observations

Takal Molson scored 14 points in Canisius' win at Manhattan, demonstrating a skill set that positions Buffalo native among favorites for MAAC Rookie of the Year honors. (Photo by Canisius College Athletics)

RIVERDALE, NY -- A stifling defense that turned 19 takeaways into 20 points, coupled with the second-half marksmanship of Isaiah Reese, were largely responsible for Canisius walking into Draddy Gymnasium and leaving with their third consecutive road win over Manhattan, as the Golden Griffins came away with a 68-59 victory over the Jaspers fueled by their efficiency at forcing turnovers while Reese scored all of his 22 points after halftime. Now 6-1 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play and in a first-place tie with Iona atop the league standings, the Griffs head to New Rochelle on Sunday for a return match with the reigning MAAC champion Gaels, hoping to replicate their 85-78 win in Buffalo on December 31 in search of a sweep of the regular season. In the interim, we close out Friday's battle with the Jaspers with a quartet of observations on a defense-oriented affair that became the latest statement for a team picked ninth in the preseason:

1) Molson Golden

In a MAAC that graduated the bulk of its senior leadership this past May, the conference's freshman class arrived on the scene with mounds of opportunities to make an impact for themselves. Chief among them is Takal Molson, Canisius' third guard and one of three players averaging 12 or more points for a team who graduated two starters in Phil Valenti and Kiefer Douse, and lost Kassius Robertson to Missouri as a fifth-year transfer.

"We ask him to do a lot," head coach Reggie Witherspoon said of Molson, whose 14 points ranked second for the Griffs Friday behind Reese's game-high 22. "He's another guy that's versatile enough to guard different positions, and he embraces it. He hasn't run from it or doesn't back down from it, and with the versatility of his teammates, it's hard to just zero in on a guy. He's another one of those guys that can impact the game in a number of different ways."

"I feel like I've got the mindset of just winning now," Molson, a homegrown talent who opted to remain in Buffalo for his collegiate career, remarked. "We do have a pretty versatile team, and I'm willing to do whatever it is to win, so I just work on all aspects of my game and go out just trying to win. If we're winning, that's all that matters to me."

2) No. 1 in your programs, No. 1 in Canisius' heart.

Albeit just a sophomore, Malik Johnson has made his presence known each time he steps on the floor, having started each of the 54 games in which he has played. Standing just 5-foot-10, it may be easy to miss the Virginia native during the course of a game, but if you watch closely, you will see that he continually asserts his take-charge instincts to fit each situation, be it a game-winning layup in the final seconds to beat Saint Peter's last year, or a more understated contribution like Friday's seven assists to offset only one field goal attempt.

"The guy I was really impressed with was Malik Johnson," Manhattan head coach Steve Masiello revealed. "Seven assists, no turnovers against our pressure. I thought he did a really terrific job."

"I said this about Malik in the past: He can have an impact on the game without taking a shot," said Witherspoon. "And I see tonight, he only took one. I think most people come watch a game and watch his impact, you'd never guess he only took one shot. But again, with his teammates and the way that he plays, it's hard to play against a guy that can do that many different things -- that can hurt you with his defense -- and I think we have several guys who can do that. He's certainly one of them."

3) A view from the top.

Winners of six of seven in MAAC play, Canisius takes on Iona Sunday with sole possession of the conference lead at stake inside the Hynes Athletics Center. Having defeated the Gaels in Buffalo on the opening weekend of the league slate, the Griffs come to New Rochelle intent on sweeping the regular season and furthering a year that has already exceeded some expectations, even if those inside the program remain tempered.

"It's still early yet," Witherspoon said when addressing the 6-1 start to the MAAC schedule. "There's some people we haven't played yet, and we have a lot of road games left. We're not where we want to be, but we're not where we were, so it's making strides and we're getting better. We've gotta keep making strides."

4) Two steps forward, one step back.

Manhattan's bid for a three-game win streak was halted by a second loss this month after the Jaspers had held a lead in the second half, having been felled by the same circumstances on January 7 against Rider in a game where Masiello referenced an inability to play consistent defense. That problem was rectified in a first half where Canisius was held to just 31 percent shooting before Reese kick-started an 11-0 run that ultimately turned the game around, but still needs to be addressed long-term, along with the penchant for turning the ball over.

"I think it's lack of focus at times," Masiello said of Manhattan's propensity for giveaways, highlighted by a 24.2 percent turnover rate that ranks as the seventh-highest in the nation and the highest figure in the MAAC. "You look at Rich (Williams), you look at Z(avier Turner), but more than anything, I always believe turnovers are a lack of urgency. I just think when you're not urgent, that's normally when you turn the basketball over, and sometimes we get in the habit of just thinking that the defense is just going to let us run the play or just going to let us bring the ball up. It's a combination of urgency and discipline. 

"We lost in the NCAA Tournament to Louisville -- and we talk about it all the time -- because we didn't break the foul line and feed the post, RaShawn (Stores) to Rhamel Brown. It's just more discipline and urgency, and those are things that I think are fixable, but you really have to have great focus to fix those."