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Jimmy Patsos said he talked to his team about Ohio State football prior to Friday's game at Fairfield, a nod to the resilience the Buckeyes showed in rallying from 15 down to shock Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day. The lesson paid off in a big way as the Saints rallied from 12 points down in each half to pick up a key 68-67 win over the Stags at Webster Bank Arena.

"We didn't quit, we didn't give up," Patsos said. "I thought Javion Ogunyemi the last 12 minutes of the game really stepped up."

Ogunyemi scored a career-high 15 points, including back-to-back field goals that turned a 66-63 deficit into a 67-66 lead with 2:26 left, putting the Saints ahead for good. Ogunyemi then had a huge block on Marcus Gilbert's layup attempt with 1:30 left.

Siena missed twice on its next possession - a Ryan Oliver three-point try and a Lavon Long put-back - but Amadou Sidibe fell down after corralling the rebound and was called for a travel, giving the Saints the ball back with 38 seconds left and a one-point lead.

The Stags elected to foul Long, who made the second of two free throws to push the lead to 68-66 with 20 seconds left. Oliver then fouled Gilbert on the drive with 5.7 seconds left, but Gilbert made just 1-2 free throws, keeping Siena in front.

Marquis Wright was sent to the line with 3.7 seconds left, missed the first and intentionally missed the second, but failed to draw iron, giving the Stags a final chance to tie or win the game. Freshman Jerome Segura fielded the inbounds pass 75 feet from the basket, but Wright and Long trapped him and he couldn't get a shot off before the horn sounded.

"Lavon Long wasn't supposed to play today," Patsos said. "He said this morning: `I don't think so coach'. Then he came out of warm-ups and said: `I want to do it'. Then after the first four minutes, he just yelled at me and said: `Put me in, this is a league game.' We're getting tougher. We're growing up. We're far from perfect, but we're getting there."

Long finished with 12 points in 24 minutes after missing three straight games with a high ankle sprain. Rob Poole had his second straight big effort, posting a game-high 18 points (12 in the second half) on 6-13 shooting. Evan Hymes continued to provide an emotional spark with 10 points, and Marquis Wright finished with nine points, five assists and five steals.

"Just great defense and great team ball," Poole said. "We kind of mixed it up a bit (on defense) and I think that confused them. We're starting to get healthy again now. I think if we just play ball the way we played, we can win some games."

Siena will have another big test Sunday when preseason favorite Iona comes to Times Union Center for a 2 p.m. tip. It's the first of three straight MAAC home games.