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LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. -- Kaylee Stroemple recorded a double-double with career-highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds as Niagara spoiled Siena's Senior Day with a 54-45 defeat of the Saints at the ARC. With the loss, Siena missed out on an opportunity to secure a bye in next week's MAAC Tournament and will now open First Round action as either the No. 6 or 7-seed Thursday in Albany.

Senior forward Symone Kelly led Siena (13-17, 10-10) with 11 points and a career-high four steals in her final home game at the ARC. Freshman guard Jackie Benitez added 10 points and three blocks off the bench for the Saints which will enter postseason play having dropped seven of eight.

Stroemple shot 10-14 from the field for Niagara (7-22, 5-15) which snapped an 11-game losing streak with its first victory since Jan. 17. Taylor McKay contributed 10 points and nine rebounds for the Purple Eagles which will be seeded either ninth or 10th for the MAAC Tournament.

Niagara nearly doubled up Siena in both shooting and rebounding. The Purple Eagles shot at a 51.1% clip as compared to just 26.7% for the Saints and held a 45-23 advantage in rebounding.

Despite the discrepancy, the game was nip and tuck throughout as Siena's defense kept them close. The Saints turned Niagara over 27 times on the strength of 19 steals, marking the second highest total in the Ali Jaques era. Siena previously swiped 21 steals in a win over Sacred Heart at the ARC on Nov. 26, 2013.

The Saints opened the game on an 8-2 run, but mustered just nine points over the final 14 minutes of the first half as Niagara rallied for a 22-17 lead at the break.

But Siena continued to turn the Purple Eagles over in the second half and an 11-4 run fueled by the defense drew the Saints even at 30-all late in the third quarter. The Saints scored more than half of their total points off Niagara turnovers, holding a 25-8 advantage in the category.

However when Niagara wasn't turning the ball over they were hitting their shots and connected at a 57% (12-21) clip in the second half. The Purple Eagles opened the fourth quarter on a 14-7 spurt to open their biggest lead of the game at 48-39 with 2:09 to go. Siena drained threes on its next two possessions to rally within three with 57 seconds to go, but could get no closer.

The Saints will try to regroup now as the calendar turns to March and they prepare to open MAAC Tournament play against a yet-to-be determined opponent in a First Round contest at the Times Union Center Thursday. Siena would be the No. 6 seed with a Monmouth loss to last place Saint Peter's Sunday, and open against the 11th seeded Peacocks at 1:30 p.m. Should the Hawks win, the Saints would be relegated to the No. 7 seed and would play the 10-seed at 11:30 a.m. Siena would face a rematch with Niagara in the MAAC Tournament should Rider defeat Manhattan tomorrow, otherwise the Saints would face the Broncs.