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Siena's best non-conference season in 17 years ended with a 73-64 loss at nemesis Vermont Tuesday afternoon. The setback was amplified by news that star guard Marquis Wright will miss at least the next six weeks with a stress fracture, and the potential loss of classmate Javion Ogunyemi who crashed to the floor with just over a minute left in the game grasping his left knee.

"It's tough, but this is how college basketball is, that's why you have 13 scholarships," Siena coach Jimmy Patsos said after the loss. "I thought some other guys really stepped up and played well today. I thought Kenny (Wormley) and Ryan (Oliver) gave us some solid minutes. We tried to rally the cause."

Wormley had nine points, two assists and just one turnover in 38 minutes running the point in Wright's absence. He also played lock down defense for most of the game on Vermont's backcourt. Oliver finished with 10 points on 4-8 shooting.

Lavon Long paced the Saints with 13 points, 10 rebounds and four steals.

The game was tied at 56 with 6:34 left, but Vermont scored six straight front the free throw line, and then got a key three-pointer from Trae Bell-Haynes to build a 65-57 lead with 3:37 to play.

"We fouled," Patsos said of the decisive stretch. "I thought a couple of key plays we had some stops and we bailed them out with fouls. And they were fouls. Then we missed some shots."

Siena shot a season-worst 35% from the field and 57% (13-23) from the foul line. The Saints entered the game shooting 48% from the field and 71% from the line.

Bell-Haynes led all players with 19 points and five assists for Vermont which improved to 5-0 at home and defeated Siena for the sixth straight season. Bell-Haynes followed up his huge three with two layups through contact to help seal the win.

Ogunyemi scored nine of his 12 points in the first half, helping Siena build an eight-point lead with a 14-0 run. The Saints led 36-33 at the break.

"We played really well early and had a chance to do some things, and we were 5-13 from the line (in the first half)," Patsos said. "We shoot a lot of (free throws) in practice, and ... make a lot of them."

Siena trainer Greg Dashnaw said Ogunyemi would be evaluated further when the team returns to campus.

Patsos said this year's team is better equipped to deal with key injuries than last year's. He also indicated the team chemistry is improved.

"We stayed positive, there's no quit," Patsos said. "There's no doom and gloom."

The Saints finish regular-season non-league play with a 7-4 record, their best since going 9-0 in 1998-99. Siena returns home to resume MAAC play against Niagara Saturday night.