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LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. - A year after winning just nine games and being predicted to finish 10th in this season's MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Siena Women's Basketball will play for a national postseason tournament championship. The Saints wrote the latest chapter in their improbable storybook season with a 65-54 win over Mercer in the semifinals of the Women's Basketball Invitational at the ARC.

The first women's basketball team in MAAC history to win three national postseason tournament games, Siena (22-12) will play for the WBI Championship. The other semifinal out of the West Region, featuring second seed Louisiana and No. 5 seed Oral Roberts, will be contested in Lafayette, La. Thursday night at 7 p.m. If Louisiana wins, Siena would head to the bayou for a 5 p.m. ET (4 p.m. CT) tip Sunday. If Oral Roberts wins, Siena College would host a national postseason tournament championship game at the ARC for the second straight season Sunday at 2 p.m. The men's team won the College Basketball Invitational in Loudonville last season.

Siena's bench - both of them - played huge roles in leading the Saints to their eighth win in their last nine games. Junior forward Symone Kelly led the way with 14 points and sophomore guard Emia Willingham added 12 points, a career-high tying nine rebounds and her sixth four-steal game of the year for the Saints which have now posted a 13-win improvement from last year which is tied with UT-Arlington for second best nationally.

Playing in its record 34th game in what is now the longest season in program history, Siena trailed for the first 28 minutes and by as many as nine points late in the first half. Mercer (20-15) controlled tempo early, but only managed to take a three-point lead 27-24 at the break.

The Bears built their lead back up to seven 35-28 with 15:49 to play, but that's when the tide turned in Siena's favor as Mercer's 6-5 center Teanna Robinson was whistled for her third, and almost immediately thereafter, her fourth fouls. After shooting just 30.3% in the first half with Robinson clogging the paint, Siena was able to go to its strength inside with the nation's leading offensive rebounder parked on the bench.

As a result, the Saints reeled off a 24-8 run spanning 10:52 to claim a 52-43 lead with 4:34 to go and never led by fewer than six points the rest of the way in improving to 10-2 against non-conference opponents this season. Siena shot 47.6% in the second half and 19 of its 20 made field goals overall came in the key as the Saints held a commanding 38-14 edge in points in the paint.

Another Siena staple, getting to the free throw line, was able to pay dividends as well. The Saints attempted 26 second half free throws and went 24-31 (77.4%) from the charity stripe overall as Siena set a new record for both free throws made and attempted in a season. Three Bears fouled out as Mercer, which entered the night ranked 10th nationally in fewest fouls per game (13.9) was whistled for 22 infractions.

Sophomore captain Meghan Donohue contributed nine points and five rebounds and senior captain Tehresa Coles added nine points and four steals for Siena which held Mercer to 13 points under its season average. Thanks in large part to Coles and Willingham the Saints forced Mercer, which entered play ranking third nationally in fewest turnovers (11.0), into 18 miscues leading to 20 Siena points.

Southern Conference Player of the Year Precious Bridges led all scorers with 19 points for Mercer, but was a non-factor in the second half thanks to the Saints' stellar defense in shooting just 1-5 from the field. Alicia Williams added 15 points for the Bears, while SoCon Rookie of the Year Kahlia Lawrence was limited just four points on 2-10 shooting.

Now, there's just one chapter left for the Saints to write in this storybook season as they attempt to pen the perfect ending that nobody could have ever dreamt back in October.