Dec. 1, 2005
Final Stats
Albany, N.Y.- In a game of runs, the Siena men's basketball team (2-2) displayed a balanced attack on both sides of the floor in a 68-63 win over Holy Cross (2-4) at Pepsi Arena tonight. The Saints got double-figure scoring from four players, two career records were either reached or set and Antoine Jordan posted his second double-double of the year in front of an appreciative home crowd.
The Saints never trailed in the game and held a 15-point lead two times in the second half, the latter coming with 10 minutes left on the clock. Holy Cross had one last run in them and pulled to within four points with just under a minute left to play, spurred by a 22-11 run. The Green and Gold displayed poise in regrouping as Kojo Mensah's four clutch free throws in the waning seconds helped solidify the Saints victory.
Siena jumped off to a fast start outscoring the Crusaders 16-4 over the game's opening 10 minutes. As they did in the second half, Holy Cross closed the half strong pulling to within a bucket behind a 20-10 run.
Junior David Ryan, who set a career-high of 17 points in the previous game, broke his own scoring best with an 18 point effort, which included hitting on 4-of-5 shots from downtown. The Eastchester, N.Y., native has now hit on 9-of-12 perimeter shots spanning the last two games.
Sophomore Tay Fisher refound the touch from the arc hitting on 5-of-8 shots from the land of three. The Kingston, N.Y., native outdueled his former high school teammate Keith Simmons finishing tied with Ryan for the game-high with 18 points, tying his career high.
Senior Antoine Jordan posted his second double-double of the season finishing with 10 points while also setting season-high's in rebounds (13) and steals (4).
Sophomore Kojo Mensah rounded out the double-figure scorers. He posted 12 points, grabbed seven caroms and dished out six assists in another solid all-around performance.
The 2-2 record for the Green and Gold marks the first time the team has been at .500 since December 6, 2003.
The Saints have but one day to relish in the victory and prepare for a date against Capital Region rivals, the Great Danes. Siena and Albany will meet on Saturday in the TIAA-CREF Albany Cup at Pepsi Arena with a 1 p.m. tipoff.
