Final Stats

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - Buoyed by their best defensive effort of the year, Siena Women's Basketball was able to bounce back with their most impressive win this season. The Saints allowed just 46 points, the fewest this season, in securing an impressive 58-46 win over defending MAAC Champion and Preseason No. 2 Iona at the Hynes Athletic Center.

Sophomore guard Jackie Benitez scored a game-high 15 points and recorded a career-high eight steals for the Saints (4-12, 3-4 MAAC), which held a remarkable 29-5 points off turnovers. Freshman guard, Sabrina Piper added a season-high nine points in her first career start for Siena, which limited Iona (8-7, 3-3 MAAC) to just 34.7-percent shooting and 23 turnovers.

Karynda DuPree paced the Gaels offense with 12 points, while the Saints held the MAAC leading scorer Alexis Lewis to more than seven points under her season average with 11 points on shooting four-for-12.

Siena led for more than 29 minutes in recording their first win in New Rochelle, New York over the perennial MAAC power Gaels in six years. The Saints shot 63.6 percent in the second quarter to take a 28-23 lead going into the locker room.

Iona opened the second half on a 10-4 run to reclaim a 33-32 lead with 6:40 to go in the quarter, but Siena responded with a decisive 16-1 run over 11:27 to go up 48-34 with 7:01 to go in the game.

The Gaels were able to take Siena's lead down to just eight by making three of the next four baskets. The Saints scored on their next two possessions and ended the game on a 10-4 run to take the victory over Iona 58-46.

Emmanuella Edoka came off the bench and grabbed seven boards as the Saints outrebounded the Gaels 37-34. The Saints shot 42-percent from the floor and scored 30 points in the paint.

Siena returns back to the Capital District to host Monmouth in a doubleheader with the Siena Men's Basketball team at the Times Union Center on Thursday, Jan. 12. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m.