ST. BONAVENTURE, NY - Siena Men's Basketball tips off the program's 81st season with an immediate stiff test against a familiar foe. The two-time defending MAAC Regular Season Champion Saints embark upon their 2021-22 campaign when they take on sister-school and 23rd ranked St. Bonaventure in the Br. Ed Coughlin Franciscan Cup at the Reilly Center Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
Siena looks to retain the Franciscan Cup, which was renamed in 2019 in honor of the late Siena College President and St. Bonaventure alumnus Br. Ed Coughlin. Siena reclaimed the newly renamed Cup, capturing the 2019-20 matchup 78-65 in Albany. The programs did not play last season due to the adjusted schedule caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bonnies hold a 6-4 advantage in official Franciscan Cup matchups, since the rivalry was renewed on an annual basis and the Cup was devised by the school's Presidents in 2010. The programs alternated three-game win-streaks through the first nine Franciscan Cups, with the Saints ending St. Bonaventure's three-year run last time out. Overall, St. Bonaventure holds a 31-10 advantage in the all-time series, including a 19-1 mark at the Reilly Center.
Siena has won both of its season-openers under head coach
Carmen Maciariello, and snapped a seven-game losing streak in road openers last season. The Saints, however, are opening against a nationally ranked opponent for the first time in six years, since falling 92-74 at fifth-ranked Duke in the 2015-16 lid-lifter.
Siena is 6-45 all-time against Associated Press Top-25 teams, including 3-31 during the program's Division I era. The Saints have dropped 10 straight vs. nationally ranked opponents, with their last win coming 13 years ago in an 83-62 throttling of 19th ranked Vanderbilt in the First Round of the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Siena is 1-27 all-time in true road games against Top-25 teams, with their lone win coming 68 years ago.
The Saints enter the 2021-22 season with an exciting new roster, invigorated by the addition of 10 newcomers featuring six upperclassman transfers and four true freshmen. Siena is in search of its first MAAC Regular Season three-peat since 2008-10, and a return to the NCAA Tournament. The Saints will need to accomplish that with a number of new faces, however, as Siena returns just 29% of its scoring from last year's MAAC Regular Season Co-Champions.
Meanwhile, St. Bonaventure enters the season nationally ranked for the first time in 50 years. The defending Atlantic 10 Regular Season and Tournament Champions are one of only two teams (UCLA) to return all five starters from last year's NCAA Tournament team. The Bonnies enter play ranked 23rd in the AP Top-25 Poll and 24th in the Coaches' Poll.
Fans planning to make the trip are advised to adhere to the Reilly Center
Health and Safety Protocols. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+, which can be viewed by clicking the corresponding link, on smartphones and tablets via the ESPN app, and on televisions through Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
The new "Voice of the Saints"
Emmanuel Berbari has the call of the season-opener courtside from the Reilly Center alongside Conner Fenlon '12. The radio broadcast airs locally in the Capital Region on Talk1300 AM/98.7 FM, and can also be accessed free of charge by clicking the corresponding link. Pregame coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.
In-game updates will be provided courtside from Western New York via the team's Twitter account @SienaMBB. For more information on the season-opening matchup, including both teams game notes and live stats links, click the corresponding links.
