Feb. 17, 2013
Box Score
LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - It may have been sunny outside Sunday, but inside a blizzard descended on the Alumni Recreation Center. Siena's blizzard defense forced Niagara into 24 turnovers and posted its best defensive scoring effort of the season in a 59-43 win.
Siena's (10-15, 6-8) defense clamped down in the second half, forcing Niagara (12-13, 7-7) into almost as many turnovers (17) as the Purple Eagles had points (20) in the stanza.
Siena, which swiped 13 steals, held Niagara to just 23.1% shooting in the second half. The Saints limited the Purple Eagles to just 28.8% (15-52) shooting for the game and only 43 points - both season bests for Siena's defense.
Lily Grenci led the Saints with 17 points, nine rebounds and a career-high tying four steals, while Tehresa Coles added 14 for Siena which has won nine in a row at home over Niagara and 26 of 30 all-time.
Siena scored the final five points of the first half, taking a 25-23 lead into the break. The Saints ultimately extended their run to a 10-0 margin into the second half, holding Niagara without a field goal for over six minutes.
The Purple Eagles answered back to within a bucket at 32-30 with 13:49 remaining, but the Saints responded with a 12-2 run over the next four minutes to build a double digit lead and pull away.
With the win, Siena pulled into a tie for sixth place in the MAAC Standings with Canisius with four games remaining on the conference slate. Additionally, Siena is just a game back of Niagara which currently has a hold on fifth.
Meghan McGuinness led Niagara with 15 points, while Lauren Gatto added 13. Kayla Stroman and Kelly VanLeeuwen, two of the MAAC leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio, combined to commit 12 of the Purple Eagles' 24 turnovers.
Siena closes out its season long four game homestand Friday when they host Saint Peter's at 7 p.m. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Lily Grenci bobblehead doll.
