Final Stats

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A remarkable start to the 2014-15 season for the Siena Women's Basketball team added another chapter Sunday as the Saints rallied from a 20-point second half deficit to shock Canisius 71-70 at the Koessler Athletic Center. Sophomore guard Emia Willingham hit the game-winning layup with six seconds remaining, completing the Saints' biggest comeback in 14 years.

Siena (10-5, 3-3) trailed by 20 with 19:12 to play and by 13 midway through the second half, but closed the game on a 22-8 run to post its biggest comeback since rallying from a 21-point deficit to defeat New Hampshire 78-65 on Dec. 1, 2001.

Siena still trailed by five with 2:04 to play, but held Canisius (5-10, 3-3) scoreless the rest of the way. Down a point in the waning moments, senior captain Tehresa Coles rattled a long jumper in and out with 14 seconds to play. But junior forward Symone Kelly grabbed the offensive rebound and dished to Willingham who reversed home the decisive layup to give Siena its first lead of the game.

Canisius' Tiahana Mills, who two years earlier drained a half-court shot at the buzzer on the very same floor to beat Siena, would have another chance to break the Saints' hearts. But her running 25-foot jumper at the buzzer was just off the mark and the Saints rejoiced.

The Canisius killer, Coles scored a season-high 24 points for the Saints which have won seven of eight and are off to their best 15-game start in 12 years. Coles has averaged 22.7 points over her last three games against the Golden Griffins.

Sophomore captain Meghan Donohue added 11 points for Siena which has now surpassed its win total from all of last season in 16 fewer games. The Saints improved to 7-1 on the road with their fifth straight road win, marking their longest streak since posting eight straight road wins from Dec. 8, 2002 - Jan. 30, 2003.

Clifton Park native and Shenendehowa High product Emily Weber led Canisius with a career-high 22 points. Weber made her first five three-point attempts in scoring 15 early points as the Golden Griffins raced out to a 21-7 lead at the 11:48 mark.

Canisius, which shot 58.3% in the first half and 52.1% for the game, would go on to take a 38-21 lead at the break. The Golden Griffins would ultimately take their biggest lead of the game on Kayla Hoohuli's three just 48 seconds into the second half. Canisius, which entered the day ranked 12th nationally in three-point shooting, went 9-18 from distance.

But despite being faced with yet another challenge, the "Siena Seven" would not back down. After scoring just 21 points on 25% shooting in the first half, the Saints' offense came alive in the second half scoring 50 points in the stanza on 54.3% shooting.

Siena first went on a 21-9 run to quickly rally within seven with 11:28 to play before starting their second and decisive final run several minutes later to earn just their second win in their last seven games at the Koessler Athletic Center.

Coles added five assists and three steals for the Saints which turned 20 Canisius turnovers into 29 points. Willingham contributed nine points off the bench and senior guard Ida Krogh and freshman forward Margot Hetzke scored eight points apiece for the Saints.

Mills added 15 points and Crystal Porter scored 11 for Canisius which has lost seven of eight.

In the midst of a span where they play five of six on the road, the Saints return to the Capital Region for their lone home game during the stretch Friday. Siena hosts defending MAAC Regular Season co-Champion Iona for a 7 p.m. tip off at the ARC.