WORCESTER, MA - Siena Basketball looks to avenge last month's loss to Holy Cross when the Saints and Crusaders meet in a rare non-conference rematch Saturday at noon at the Hart Center. Gameday Central coverage commences with The Anderson Group Pregame Show at 11:30 a.m. locally on Talk1300 AM and 98.7 FM, and online at SienaAllAccess.com.
The game can be watched online via the Patriot League Network, by clicking the corresponding link. A.J. Kanell and Andy Grazulis '92 have the call of the action locally on Talk1300 AM, 98.7 FM, and online at SienaAllAccess.com, with pregame coverage commencing at 11:30 a.m. The complimentary audio stream can be listened to by clicking the corresponding link.
Social media updates will be provided courtside throughout the day via the Saints' official twitter page @SienaMBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn and #UnleashMayhem.
Here's Ten Things to Know About Today's Game
1.) Holy Cross (7-4) defeated Siena (4-7) 57-45 in the first matchup between the teams this season in the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Springfield Bracket Championship Game on Nov. 18 at Mohegan Sun Arena. Jacob Grandison scored 10 of his game-high 24 points during a decisive 14-0 second half run for the Crusaders.
2.) The first meeting between the squads featured more technical fouls (four) than free throw attempts (three). Neither team made a free throw, marking the first time that had happened in a Division I game dating back to at least the start of the 1996-97 season per stats.com.
3.) Siena concludes its non-conference road schedule today in search of its third true road win. A win today would match the program's most non-conference road wins (2008-09, 1998-99) since winning five true non-conference road games during the 1993-94 season.
4.) The Saints are playing the same non-conference opponent twice in the same season for the first time since facing Purdue a pair of times in 2013-14
5.) Siena is playing its fourth game today out of its first 12 vs. a Patriot League opponent. The Saints are winless vs. the Patriot League so far this season and have dropped five of their last six games vs. the conference, after having won their previous nine straight.
6.) Siena continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in both fewest fouls (14.4 - seventh) and fewest turnovers (10.0 - eighth)
7.) The Saints are shooting 62.4% (103-165) on two-point field goal attempts over the past six games
8.) Siena leads the all-time series with Holy Cross, 9-5. The Saints have won seven of the past nine meetings dating back to the 1995-96 season.
9.) Ironically, of the 15 times the programs will have played each other after today, this will be the fifth time they are playing on Dec. 22, including the second straight year.
10.) Holy Cross enters play having won six of eight. The Crusaders rank seventh nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.66), 17th in assists (8.1), 19th in turnovers (10.9), 31st in fewest fouls (15.7), and 33rd in turnover margin (+4.0).
