Jan. 14, 2011
Box Score
NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. - Just one month ago, Siena fell by 39 points at Sacred Heart. 33 days later, the Saints have made a complete 180. Siena won its sixth in a row and improved to 5-0 MAAC with a 40-point drubbing of Niagara, 77-37 Friday afternoon in Western New York.
The victory was the Saints' (7-8, 5-0) largest in 16 years and most lopsided road win in 23 seasons as the Green and Gold matched their longest winning streak in seven years. Additionally, it was Siena's biggest conference road win in MAAC history.
Four Saints scored in double figures, led by Maja Gerlyng who poured in 21 points - the third time in the past six games she has broken the 20-point plateau. Gerlyng led a tremendous offensive attack that came out firing, knocking down four threes in the first four and a half minutes of the game.
As a result, the Saints were flying high heading into the first media timeout, leading 14-2 at the 15:35 mark. Niagara (1-15, 0-5) would never get back to within single digits the rest of the way as the Saints completely dominated all facets of the game.
Siena scored a season-high 36 points in the first half, building a 21-point lead at intermission. The Saints did all of this without a single-point from the MAAC's leading scorer Serena Moore, who went scoreless in just 12 foul plagued first half minutes.
If there was any reason to think the Saints would cool off in the second half, any notion of that was quickly put to rest. Siena opened the second half on a 21-0 run over the first 5:23 to run its lead to 57-15 and would ultimately go on to lead by as many as 43 points.
Siena is off to its longest winning streak, matching a seven-game run from Feb. 8-28, 2004. Additionally, the 40-point victory matched the largest since an 89-49 triumph over Iona during the 1994-95 season, and it was the biggest road triumph since a 92-43 victory over Brooklyn during the 1987-88 campaign.
Cristina Centeno added 14 points, Moore scored all 10 of hers in the second half and Lily Grenci narrowly missed her first career double-double off the bench, contributing 11 points and nine rebounds. Siena added a season-high 19 assists, a career-high six of which came from Missy Ramsey who dished out all of her dimes during the first half and committed just one turnover running the point.
Liz Flooks led Niagara with 12 points as the Purple Eagles dropped their 10th in a row overall and 10th straight at home dating back to last season. The Purple Eagles shot just 25.6% (11-for-43) from the floor.
Siena held Niagara to a season-low 37 points and have now held their opponents to 50 points or less five times during their six game winning streak and are allowing just 45.2 points per game over that time.
With the victory, Siena remains tied for first in the MAAC with Marist which also won today over Canisius, 59-40. The Saints return to action against the Griffs Sunday at 2 p.m. in Buffalo.
