Dec. 9, 2015
|
1st |
2nd |
Total |
Hofstra
|
32 |
36 |
68 |
Siena
|
45 |
36 |
81 |
Brett Bisping scored 22 points and Siena led for the final 25 minutes in an impressive 81-68 victory over CAA favorite Hofstra Wednesday night at Times Union Center. The Saints shot 53% from the field, and limited the high-octane Pride to just 33%.
"The toughest team won the game," Hofstra coach Joe Mihalich said. "They kind of did whatever they wanted to."
Siena imposed its will inside and out, and played its best defensive game of the season. The result was one of its best wins in years.
Marquis Wright won the battle of two of the top point guards in New York, finishing with 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, while limiting CAA Preseason Player of the Year Juan'ya Green to just 12 points in 40 minutes. Green came into the game averaging 18.3 points per contest.
"I thought we competed on the defensive end," Siena coach Jimmy Patsos said. "Our three-point defense was great and Brett and Javion (Ogunyemi) really battled inside."
Ogunyemi finished with 12 points, and Nico Clareth had 10 as Siena placed four players in double figures for the seventh time in 10 games this season. It's the fifth time the Saints have scored at least 80 points this year, topping their total number of 80 point games in any of the last five seasons.
Siena used a 12-0 run early in the game to build a 24-13 lead and never trailed again. Hofstra scored 13 of the next 15 points to close within 26-24, but the Saints responded with a 10-2 run to push the lead back to double digits. Siena led 45-32 at halftime after shooting 58% from the field.
Hofstra cut the lead to 55-50 on Ameen Tanksley's three-pointer with 13:41 left, but Siena answered with an 8-1 run to push the lead back to 12. The Pride cut the deficit to 69-63 with 5:24 left, before another 8-1 Saints' run put the game away.
Tanksley led Hofstra with 22 points and eight rebounds. Siena controlled a 41-34 advantage on the glass. Hofstra entered the game ranked 25th nationally with 85.4 points per game and boasted wins over Florida State, St. Bonaventure and LaSalle -- all away from home.
"We play tough games and that's as good a Mid-Major game as you're going to get," Patsos said. "It's a really good win. Anytime we win at home it's good because these fans are so passionate and deserve to see us win. They deserve us to at least play hard and compete"
Siena has treated its fans to victories in each of its first three games this season. Now the attention turns to rival UAlbany, which rolls into Times Union Center on a five-game win streak after throttling Marist by 22 points on the road Wednesday night.
"It's the UAlbany game," Bisping said. "If you can't get up for that, I'm not sure why you're playing basketball."
