ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Siena Women's Basketball is set for postseason play, as they get set for their game Tuesday in the 2021 Hercules Tires MAAC Championships at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. The 9th seeded Saints battle No. 8 seed Niagara Purple Eagles in the First Round at 12 p.m., with the game being broadcasted on ESPN+.
Siena (3-8) and Niagara (4-6) meet for the sixth time in postseason play, as the two teams did not face each other in the regular season. Their last postseason meeting came in 2017 at the Times Union Center in Albany, where the Saints took a 71-60 victory. The winner of today's First Round game will advance to face No. 1 seed Marist in the quarterfinals Wednesday afternoon at 12 p.m. on ESPN+.
Fans can follow this weekend's games by clicking on the live stats link at the top of the page, or by tuning into ESPN+ on media and mobile devices. Fans will also be able to access the game internationally from the MAAC's international stream courtesy of MAAC.TV and SIDEARM Sports. You can also listen to the games via Siena All Access radio broadcast, where
Joe Mixie and Steve Amedio will have the call for WVCR 88.3 The Saint. Coverage on WVCR commences with Berkshire Bank Pregame Show at 11:30 a.m. locally. Click the corresponding links above to follow along with the game coverage.
Continuous in-game press row updates will be provided via the women's basketball team's official twitter page @sienawomenshoop. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACHoops.
Despite only appearing in only nine games this season, graduate student
Isis Young was named to the All-MAAC Second Team on Monday morning. She leads the MAAC in scoring, averaging 18.9 points per game. She has scored more than 20 points on four occasions, including an outburst of 28 points with a career-high six three pointers at Monmouth on Feb. 3. Averaging just under 36 percent from long distance, Young leads the team in almost every offensive category – which includes minutes (34.2), field goals made (55), and assists (22). Her 18.9 points per game averages almost two points more than Lou Lopez-Senechal (17.0) in second place. Young ranks Top 15 in the MAAC in minutes (7th), three-point percentage (8th), free throw percentage (10th), and assists (13th).
The Siena Saints closed their last regular season weekend on the court at Saint Peter's two weeks ago at the John J. Moore Athletic Center on the campus of New Jersey City University. After a hot start, the Green and Gold would fall by a final score of 62-54. Siena was led by a 10-point showing from junior
Amari Anthony. Senior
Marilena Gerostergiou provided the muscle in the paint with 11 rebounds, and junior
Haley Blasetti tossed out four assists. The Saints shot 45.8 percent from the field in the first half, before falling to a 23.1 percent clip in the second half.
Niagara and Siena were scheduled to square off to end the regular season last weekend, but both games were cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns. Niagara is coming off of a weekend split with the Quinnipiac Bobcats two weeks ago. Sophomore Angel Parker was named All-MAAC Second Team along with Young on Monday.
In the series history, Siena and Niagara will be squaring off for the 81st time this weekend, with the Saints holding a 49-32 advantage all-time. With their 49 wins over the Purple Eagles, the Saints have only beaten Canisius more times in program history (54). Head Coach
Ali Jaques stands just one win away from passing Joe Hogan on Siena's all-time coaching wins list, with the pair each standing at 115 wins at the helm of the Saints. Jaques also stands 8-8 all-time as a head coach against the Peacocks.
Siena makes its 32nd appearance in the MAAC Tournament since joining the conference in 1989-90. The Saints are 27-30 all-time in the MAAC Tournament and captured their lone championship in 2001. Siena won its MAAC Tournament opener now 10 of the last 12 years, and are now 24-9 (.727) all-time in MAAC Tournament openers. Siena has advanced to the MAAC Quarterfinals for the 14 of the last 16 years, and have advanced at least as far as the quarterfinal round 30 times in the program's 33 years in the MAAC. Siena is 9-3 (.750) all-time in MAAC First Round matchups, and are 3-1 all-time vs. No. 8 seeds in the MAAC Tournament. Siena will be playing as the #9 seed for the first time in program history this year. The Saints have only been lower than a #9 seed one time in the program's 32 years in the MAAC - when they were a #10 seed in 2014. That season, the Saints defeated #7 Manhattan in the First Round before losing to #2 Marist in the MAAC Quarterfinals.
