Jan. 15, 2009
Final Stats
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. - Siena is off to its best start ever in MAAC play, but it wasn't easy. The Saints rallied from a 14-point deficit with 3:26 to play, scoring on its final 13 possessions of regulation and taking advantage of nine Marist missed free throws before breaking free for a 91-85 improbable overtime victory Thursday night at a stunned McCann Center in Poughkeepsie.
Reserve Kyle Downey hit two huge 3-pointers in the final 47 seconds of regulation to pull the Saints within a point. Javon Paris then missed his second of two free throws and Edwin Ubiles converted a twisting layup to tie the game at 76-76 with seven seconds left. Marist did not get a shot off on its hurried final possession of regulation.
Playing without Preseason MAAC Player of the Year Kenny Hasbrouck, who picked up his fifth foul with 1:33 left in the second half, Siena scored the first eight points of overtime to seize control. Downey had four of the first five points of the extra session and Ronald Moore delivered a back-breaking 3-pointer to push the lead to 84-76.
The startled Red Foxes got no closer than the final margin the rest of the way.
Alex Franklin made 15-20 free throws and led five Saints in double figures with 19 points. He added 10 boards to round out his third double-double of the season. Ryan Rossiter added 16 points and nine rebounds. Downey had 15, Kenny Hasbrouck had 13 and Moore added 11 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Marist was led by Ryan Schneider with 19 points and 13 rebounds. He helped the Red Foxes break a 32-32 halftime tie and build a 15-point lead by the first media timeout of the second half by burying his first four 3-pointers after intermission.
Schneider was hardly alone as Marist made 7-11 3-pointers in the second half to maintain its double digit lead until the Saints furious rally.
It was the second time this season Siena came back from a 15-point second half deficit. The Saints rallied from 18 down at St. Joseph's in late December.
RJ Hall led all players with 21 points for Marist, but he missed several key free throws down the stretch. David Devezin rounded out Marist's double figure scorers with 15 points.
Franklin and Hasbrouck scored 25 of their 32 points after intermission.
Siena's 7-0 MAAC start is its best in its 19 years in the MAAC. The Saints complete a stretch of nine games in 21 days in their seventh city - Bridgeport, Conn. - against rival Fairfield Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
