GAME NOTES: A couple of Empire State programs are scheduled to meet up on Saturday afternoon, as the Canisius Golden Griffins take on the Bonnies of St. Bonaventure at the Reilly Center.

The Griffs are off to a 2-0 start to the 2014-15 campaign, defeating Vermont at the Koessler Center last weekend by a 64-60 margin, and then staying relatively close to home with a 63-51 triumph over Lehigh University on Tuesday night.

The Bonnies have split their first two games of the season, first defeating Dartmouth, 77-57, before stumbling against a fellow New York program in Siena on Wednesday night, 73-70.

The Bonnies are ahead in the all-time series by a 97-65 margin.

Canisius shot a woeful 8-of-35 from the field in the first half against Lehigh, including a dismal 2-of-18 showing behind the 3-point line through the first 20 minutes, but with the hosts also struggling the Griffs still had a chance to pick up the road win. Zach Lewis led the way for Canisius with a game-high 24 points, shooting 8-of-20 from the floor, while Jamal Reynolds tacked on 12 points and cleared seven rebounds as the only other player to have made more than two baskets in the meeting.

Lewis, who is shooting only 33.3 percent from the field and is the only starter not to be credited with a single rebound, produces 15.5 ppg, followed by Phil Valenti with 13.5 ppg and 6.0 rpg as a 52.6 percent shooter from the floor. Reynolds puts up 10.0 ppg and clears 7.0 rpg for a program that is generating 63.5 ppg in the early going.

Not only did the Bonnies shoot only 38.7 percent from the floor against Siena the last time out, the hosts also hurt themselves by turning the ball over 16 times and converting a mere 14-of-24 at the free-throw line in the three-point decision. Andell Cumberbatch managed to finish with a double-double consisting of 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Marcus Posley produced another 22 points, seven boards and four assists, but even though Posley converted a solid 4-of-9 beyond the arc, he was only 6-of-17 from the field overall.

Posley is the top offensive threat for the Bonnies with his 19.0 ppg, although his 39.4 percent accuracy from the floor is still something that needs to be addressed. Cumberbatch checks in with another 17.0 ppg and is actually averaging a double-double with a team-best 10.5 rpg, helping to give the squad a rebounding advantage of 9.0 per contest.

As long as the Griffs are able to keep the scoring to a minimum, there's a good chance the team could remain undefeated through the weekend.