Final Stats

DENVER, COLO. - Siena Women's Basketball is off to its best start in 21 years. The Saints led by double digits for the final 28 minutes in dismantling Denver 78-62 at the Pioneers' inaugural University of Denver Thanksgiving Classic at Magness Arena.

Siena (3-0) will face Akron in the Tournament Championship game Saturday at 4:30 ET. The Zips defeated Belmont earlier Friday, 73-58.

Margot Hetzke, who has been named the MAAC Rookie of the Week each of the first two weeks of the season, got off to a strong start in making an early bid to make it three for three. She scored 18 of her game-high 23 points in the first half, including a put back at the buzzer that gave Siena a 41-27 lead at the break.

Reigning MAAC Player of the Week Tehresa Coles added 12 points and sophomore reserve Emia Willingham contributed 10 along with career-highs of seven rebounds and five assists for the Saints which clinched their second straight winning November. Siena hadn't had a winning opening month prior to last season since November 2000.

Siena used a 7-0 run to reclaim a 14-8 lead at the 13:15 mark of the first half and never looked back. The Saints, which led for all but three and a half minutes, went on a 16-4 run moments later to pull away for good.

Siena shot well again, connecting at a 44.8% clip and led by as many as 25 points. Hetzke led the way shooting 7-11 in scoring her 23 points in just 26 minutes.

The Saints held a commanding 46-29 edge in rebounding, with six of Siena's eight players recording five or more rebounds each. Siena also dominated in the paint to a tune of 38-14 and has outscored their opponents 106-46 in the paint over their first three games.

Jordan Johnston led Denver (0-4) with 15 points, while Jacqlyn Poss scored all of her career-high 12 points for the Pioneers in the first half off the bench.

Siena meanwhile received contributions up and down its eight-player active roster. Junior Symone Kelly scored seven points and a tied a career-high with nine rebounds off the bench, while sophomore captain Meghan Donohue added nine points and senior Ida Krogh stuffed the stat sheet with seven points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals.

Siena will now look to start 4-0 for the first time in the program's 41-year history and capture their 17th regular season Tournament championship and first since 2002. But it won't be easy. Like the Saints, Akron too is undefeated at a perfect 5-0 while averaging 83.4 points per game.