HAMILTON, NY - Siena Basketball continues its season long four-game road trip when the Saints take on defending Patriot League Champion and preseason favorite Colgate Saturday at 2 p.m. at Cotterell Court. Gameday Central coverage commences with the Siena Basketball Pregame Show at 1:30 p.m. locally on Talk1300 AM and 98.7 FM.
Siena (2-3) returns to action for the first time in 10 days, while looking to close out the month of November on a high note. However, the Saints are set to face yet another stiff test as they battle their third consecutive conference regular season champion from a year ago to open their road swing.
The Saints should be well-rested for Saturday's matchup, as they continue a string where they play just four times in a 36-day span. Meanwhile, Colgate (4-3) is set to play its fifth game in 12 days Saturday afternoon. Siena is also in the midst of a span where it will go 39 days between home games, the second longest streak nationally this season (Coppin State - 42 days), and longest stretch between home games in the program's more than 40-year Division I history.
The Saints bring the MAAC's highest scoring offense to Central New York Saturday. Through the first five games Siena is averaging 76.4 points, a marked increase from both last year (64.6) and 2017-18 (67.7). The Saints boast three of the top-six and four of the top-16 scorers in the MAAC. The quartet of
Elijah Burns (16.8 - 3rd),
Donald Carey (16.4 - 5th),
Jalen Pickett (16.0 - 6th), and
Manny Camper (13.4 - 16th) has combined to average 62.6 points to account for 82% of the team's scoring. Carey has scored in double figures in all five games, while the other three have scored 10 or more points in four of five contests. Meanwhile Camper is averaging a double-double for the season, as he's added 11.8 rebounds per game which ranks ninth nationally.
Colgate enters play winners of three straight with their only three losses to date coming against 2019 Final Four squad and nationally ranked Auburn, and ACC squads Clemson and Syracuse. The Raiders have won 15 straight against non-Power 5 programs. Colgate is 32-4 at Cotterell Court over the past two-plus seasons, and won nine straight at home. The Raiders are guided by two-time defending Patriot League Coach of the Year Matt Langel, reigning Player of the Year Rapolas Ivanauskas, Patriot League Tournament MVP Jordan Burns, two-time All-League and 2018-19 All-Defensive Team selection Will Rayman, and Patriot League Rookie of the Year Tucker Richardson. Colgate currently ranks fourth nationally in free throw percentage (.818), and sixth in threes (11.8).
Siena has controlled the all-time series with Colgate 19-6, including an 18-3 advantage during the Division I era. The former North Atlantic rivals (1984-89) rekindled their rivalry last year with the first meeting between the programs in 19 years, with the Raiders prevailing 84-79 last Nov. 24 in Albany. Siena shot 53% from the field and scored a whopping 60 points in the paint, but Colgate connected at a 55% clip including 11-23 from distance. Pickett paced the Saints with 21 points, nine rebounds, and seven steals, while Burns led four in double figures with 25 points on 9-14 shooting including 5-9 from three for the Raiders.
Saturday's tilt will be webstreamed online via the Patriot League Network, which is accessible by clicking the corresponding link. Pregame coverage commences at 1:30 p.m. on Talk1300 AM and 98.7 FM with A.J. Kanell and Conner Fenlon '12 on the call. Complimentary online audio of the broadcast can also be accessed by clicking the corresponding link at the top of the page. Social media updates will be provided courtside throughout the day by following the Saints' official twitter page @SienaMBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #MarchOn.
