Nov. 22, 2002

Box Score

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y.- Freshman Michael Haddix led a balanced Siena attack with 19 points and the Saints out-scored UAlbany 44-16 in the paint to pace a 79-75 triumph in front of 11,762 fans at Pepsi Arena Friday evening. The crowd was the seventh largest in Siena history and the most people to watch the Saints play since the team's 1994 NIT run.

Siena scored the game's first 12 points, holding the Great Danes without a point until over seven minutes had elapsed off the game clock. Austin Andrews recorded the first five points on a lay-up and a three-pointer.

The two teams began the game in zone defenses and stayed away from man-to-man for most of the half. UAlbany took longer to adapt, but the Saints failed to build an insurmountable lead.

As a result, the Danes fought back to close within four points several times before the intermission. Haddix pushed the advantage to six with a buzzer-beating lay up to give the Saints momentum going into the break.

Jamar Wilson brought Albany to within one on a driving lay-up nearly five minutes into the second half. He was fouled on the play, but failed to covert what would have been the tying free throw. Shortly after, Karangwa was charged with a technical foul and Antoine Johnson made good on one of two attempts from the charity stripe. Johnson followed with a three-pointer from the right wing to give Albany its first lead, 43-40.

Haddix scored Siena's next six points with a ferocious inside effort. He soared for several key rebounds on both sides of the floor over the stretch and with 12:24 remaining, Siena had retaken a 48-45 lead.

Siena extended the lead to as many as 11 with under10 minutes left, but UAlbany never gave in. The Great Danes connected on several key three-pointers to close the gap when the Saints appeared on the verge of breaking the game open.

UAlbany closed to within four with 1:51 remaining on one of Johnson's five three-pointers-this one coming from NBA-range. The Great Danes shot 50% from long range on the night.

On their next possession, Earv Opong beat Karangwa off the dribble pulling the Danes to within two, 73-71.

In the game's most crucial sequence, Haddix muscled up a lay up and was fouled. He made good on the free throw, putting Siena up by five with just 30 seconds left. Haddix finished the night 8-for-9 from the field.

Jamar Wilson, who led the Danes with 21 points, converted two free throws on the opposite end, but that was as close as UAlbany would get.

The game was the second half of a men's/women's doubleheader. The Siena women captured the opener 74-56. The Siena men return to action at Fordham on Wednesday night. The game is scheduled to tip-off at 7 p.m.