Jan. 21, 2010

Final Stats

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Edwin Ubiles hit a contested three over a pair of defenders with 18 seconds to go sending the Siena faithful into bedlam and sealing the Saints' 67-61 win over visiting Loyola Thursday night in Albany. The Saints shook off a sluggish start, and a very stubborn foe, to finish the game on a 17-4 running the nation's second longest homecourt win streak to 32 in a row.

Loyola (9-10, 2-7) made its first four shots of the game to race out to an early seven point advantage (9-2) and would lead throughout the first half by as many as nine points. Ubiles, playing in obvious discomfort after missing Monday's game with a back injury, scored seven of the Saints' first nine points. But the Greyhounds turned Siena (16-4, 9-0) over eight times and sunk five first half threes while shooting 52% from the field to build a five-point halftime cushion, 36-31.

Siena opened the second half on an 8-2 run capped by a Ronald Moore steal and lay-in to take its first lead of the game, 39-38, at the 17:30 mark. But Loyola battled back and was able to extend its lead to as many as seven, 57-50, at the 7:54 mark following a Brian Rudolph jumper.

The Greyhounds picked a bad time to hit their only dry spell, as they went the remainder of the game without making a field goal, finishing 0-for-7 with four turnovers down the stretch to open the door for the seasoned Saints.

Franklin scored six straight points and 10 of the final 17, with Ubiles providing the crushing blow. Up 62-61 with 21 seconds to go, Ubiles popped out on the right wing, faked a three to draw his defender, and put the nail in the coffin by knocking down the decisive basket.

Franklin scored 20 of his game-high 22 points in the second half, while Ubiles poured in 18 points connecting on 4-for-5 from beyond the arc. Additionally, Franklin connected on 10-for-12 from the line and the Saints uncharacteristically knocked down their foul shots, making 16-for-18 overall and all ten in the second half. Ryan Rossiter added his fifth straight double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds in rounding out the Saints' double-figure scorers.

Rudolph, J'hared Hall and Shane Walker led a balanced scoring attack for the Greyhounds with 13 points apiece. Senior Garrett Kelly, who entered the game with eight career points, scored 11 off the bench including his first three career 3-pointers. Loyola lost for the fifth time in its past six games, but was a different team than Siena saw in Baltimore in an easy 20-point win January 4.

The win, Siena's 10th in a row, marks the second longest win streak in program history. The 1988-89 team won 14 straight.

The Saints look to remain undefeated in the new decade, and the MAAC, when they return to action in opening a three-game road trip against Manhattan. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. Sunday.