ALBANY, NY – Jalen Pickett scored 27 points and Siena Basketball withstood a second half rally as the Saints became just the third program in conference history to reach 300 all-time MAAC Regular Season wins with a 73-64 triumph over Rider at the Times Union Center. Pickett shot 11-15 from the field and dished out nine assists for Siena who improved to a perfect 11-0 at home.

Elijah Burns (12), Donald Carey (11), and Manny Camper (10) all scored in double figures for Siena (12-10, 8-5) who joined Iona and Manhattan – both of whom entered the conference eight years prior to the Saints – as the only programs in league history to win 300 MAAC Regular Season contests.

Frederick Scott scored 16 of his 21 points in the second half for Rider (14-10, 8-6) who dropped out of a first-place tie down to fourth in a logjammed MAAC Standings. Tyere Marshall added 13 points on 6-7 shooting for the Broncs who had entered play winners of five of their previous six.

Siena saw as much as a 25-point second half cushion dwindle to as little as eight, but held on to win for the fifth time in six games and remain in a tie with Monmouth for second place in the MAAC, just a half-game back of frontrunner Saint Peter's. The Saints shot 52% from the field and committed a season-low seven turnovers to post their sixth straight home win over Rider.

Siena capped a dominant first half by scoring the final 13 points of the stanza to claim a commanding 39-17 lead at the break. The Saints shot 59% from the field and held Rider scoreless for the final 5:55, as the Broncs shot just 30% in the half including 0-9 from three while committing 10 turnovers.

Siena's lead ballooned to as much as 44-19 just 51 seconds into the second half before Rider made its run. The Broncs tallied 13 unanswered points to rally within 45-34 with 14:41 to play, and got as close as eight on several occasions midway through the half.

But Pickett and the Saints wouldn't let them get any closer. The sophomore standout keyed a mini 6-0 flurry with a pair of baskets capped by an assist to Burns to push the lead back to 16 with 6:11 to go.

Stevie Jordan and Dimencio Vaughn chipped in 10 points apiece for Rider who shot just 5-23 (22%) from three.

Siena continues its four-game homestand Sunday when they host fellow contender Manhattan at 2 p.m. in the back-end of a Siena Basketball doubleheader at the Times Union Center. The game will be preceded by the Siena women hosting MAAC-leader Marist at noon.