No. 21 Buffalo improves to 12-1 with 87-72 win over Canisius
By JONAH BRONSTEIN - Jan. 03, 2019 04:37 PM EST
Buffalo guard Davonta Jordan (4) drives against Canisius guard Isaiah Reese (13) during the first half of an NCAA college Basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo guard Davonta Jordan (4) drives against Canisius guard Isaiah Reese (13) during the first half of an NCAA college Basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo guard Jeremy Harris (2) lays the ball up past Canisius guard Isaiah Reese (13) during the first half of an NCAA college Basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo guard Dontay Caruthers (22) looses the ball to Canisius forward Scott Hitchon (21) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo guard CJ Massinburg (5) drives to the net during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Canisius, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
Buffalo guard Davonta Jordan (4) lays the ball up past Canisius forward Jalanni White (4) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, in Buffalo N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)
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BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — CJ Massinburg scored 22 points and Nick Perkins added 18 to help No. 21 Buffalo close out its non-conference schedule with an 87-72 victory over Canisius on Saturday night.

Jeremy Harris added 17 points and nine rebounds, and Jayvon Graves contributed 10 points as Buffalo improved to 12-1 for the first time since the 1962-63 season.

The Bulls shot a season-high 44 percent from 3-point range (11 of 25) and 50 percent from the field. Massinburg hit 4 of 7 from beyond the arc and Harris was 3 for 5.

Takal Molson led Canisius (3-8) with 15 points. Malik Johnson and Isaiah Reese each had 13.

The Golden Griffins shot out to an early 23-13 lead before the Bulls took control with a 21-2 run. Buffalo used a 13-2 stretch to pull away early in the second half after leading 41-35 at the break.

BIG PICTURE

Buffalo: The Bulls bounced back from their first defeat of the season a week ago at No. 18 Marquette and head into Mid-American Conference play with a single loss for the first time in 13 seasons.

Canisius: Hosting a ranked opponent on campus for the first time in school history, the Golden Griffins lost the cross-town matchup for the fourth time in five years.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Buffalo should remain in the Top 25 for the eighth week in a row. That would be the longest stretch for a MAC team since Ohio was ranked for eight weeks during the 1969-70 season.

UP NEXT

Buffalo begins its MAC schedule Friday at Eastern Michigan.

Canisius starts Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play Thursday at Marist.