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Siena University Athletics

Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year Margot Hetzke was named a Preseason Second Team All-MAAC selection

Women's Basketball

Saints March Past Iona Into Semifinals

March 6, 2015

Final Stats | Photo Gallery

ALBANY, N.Y. - The greatest Siena Women's Basketball season in a dozen years lives on. Siena went on a 15-4 run over the final 2:24 as the fifth seeded Saints eliminated No. 4 seed Iona 71-61 in the quarterfinals of the MAAC Tournament at the Times Union Center. The Saints advance to play MAAC Regular Season Champion Quinnipiac in the semifinals Sunday at 11 a.m. on ESPN3.

Freshman phenom Margot Hetzke posted her fifth 20-point game of the season with 20 points and eight rebounds and senior captain Tehresa Coles added 17 points for Siena (19-11) which won its MAAC Tournament opener for the sixth year in a row and fourth straight as the lower seed. Senior guard Ida Krogh chipped in 14 points and a career-high eight rebounds for the Saints which advance to the semifinals for the fourth time in five years and 17th time in their 26 MAAC Tournament appearances.

Siena dominated the paint and controlled the glass in the second half en route to winning their fifth straight, marking the program's longest winning streak in four years. The Saints which scored 51 points in their most recent second half at this arena in a win over Colgate Dec. 28, poured in 46 points over the final 20 minutes. Siena out-rebounded Iona (15-15) 26-8 in the stanza, while scoring 22 points in the paint and shooting 19-24 from the free throw line. Overall, the Saints shot 24-30 from the charity stripe while Iona was just 9-10.

In a game that featured five ties and nine lead changes, Iona took its final lead 57-56 on an Aaliyah Robinson three with 3:48 to play. But the Saints and Hetzke, who have come up with clutch plays all throughout their storybook season, penned another memorable chapter down the stretch.

Hetzke made two big baskets in crunch time the final of which gave Siena a three-point lead, 62-59 with 1:17 remaining. Leading by five with 46 seconds remaining, Siena put the game on ice. Following a scrum for a loose ball, Iona's Marina Lizarazu was hit with a technical and Siena made their free throws to snap a six-game losing streak against the Gaels.

Led primarily by Coles, the Saints put the clamps on the MAAC's all-time leading scorer Damika Martinez. The nation's active career scoring leader who entered the day ranking third nationally averaging 24.2 points per game, Martinez was held to just 12 points on a pedestrian 4-13 shooting although she did dish out a career-high nine assists. Martinez's career likely ends with 2,581 career points and a MAAC record 311 three-pointers.

Like their strong finish to the game, Siena started the game flying. After Iona scored the first basket, the Saints responded with the next 14 points over 3:07 to jump out to a quick 12-point lead. Despite key players Joy Adams and Lizarazu sitting out down the stretch due to the foul trouble, the Gaels were able to chip away and ultimately overcome the deficit to take a 29-25 lead at the break.

Iona opened as large as a seven-point cushion early in the second half, but Siena responded with an 11-0 run to go back in front in what would turn into a nip and tuck battle down the stretch.

Adams contributed 13 points on 6-6 shooting for Iona, while Philecia Gilmore added 12 points, six rebounds and three steals for the Gaels which shot just 8-31 (25.8%) from three-point range.

Siena's reward for their impressive win? A date with a 29-3 Bobcats team which cruised to an 82-61 victory over ninth seeded Monmouth earlier Friday. Quinnipiac, which is receiving votes this week in both the AP Top-25 and ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll, has won all 21 of their games against MAAC competition and enters the semifinal matchup having won 19 in a row overall. The Bobcats swept the regular season series from Siena, winning 78-65 on Dec. 5 in Connecticut and 87-62 on Jan. 30 at the ARC.

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Players Mentioned

Margot Hetzke

#11 Margot Hetzke

Forward
5' 11"
Freshman
Ida Krogh

#2 Ida Krogh

Guard/Forward
6' 0"
Sophomore
Tehresa Coles

#25 Tehresa Coles

Guard
5' 9"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Margot Hetzke

#11 Margot Hetzke

5' 11"
Freshman
Forward
Ida Krogh

#2 Ida Krogh

6' 0"
Sophomore
Guard/Forward
Tehresa Coles

#25 Tehresa Coles

5' 9"
Sophomore
Guard