Nov. 4, 2001

BOX SCORE

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - Defending MAAC Player of the Year Gunta Basko scored 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds, while Jolene Johnston scored 13 of her 17 points in the second half to rally Siena past Syracuse AAU 81-71 Sunday afternoon.

Basko (Olaine, Latvia/Riga Secondary #3) also added four assists and four steals. After trailing through most of the game, Siena closed the game on an 18-4 run. Basko scored 10 of the team's last 14 points, all of them in the game's final three minutes.

Johnston (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) provided a spark with her maximum effort, scoring 17 points to go along with five rebounds and four steals. Erica Anderson (N. Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) added 13 points for the defending MAAC Champions.

Siena shot just 27 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 35-32 at the break. The Saints wore down the visitors for 49 second-half points on 56 percent shooting. The Green and Gold also excelled at the free-throw line, making 23 of 26 attempts.

The Saints played without MAAC Rookie of the Year Liene Jansone, who was sidelined with a foot injury.

Siena opens the regular season against Big East foe Providence on Friday, November 16th at 7:00 pm in the Alumni Recreation Center on the Siena campus. The game will mark the return of former Siena head coach and current Providence coach Jim Jabir, who led the Saints from 1987-1990.