LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – The bar has been set high for the big game, as the opening act on Super Bowl Sunday produced a wild finish between the two hottest teams in the MAAC. Anthony Gaines drained both the game-tying and winning free throws with 6.1 seconds left as Siena Basketball escaped with a 76-75 overtime triumph over Rider at Alumni Gymnasium.
 
Gaines posted his third double-double in six contests with game-highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds for surging Siena (12-9, 9-4) which has won six of seven to pull even with idle second-place Saint Peter's in the MAAC Standings. Freshman Jared Billups recorded his first collegiate double-double with season-highs of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three steals for the Saints, while adding the clutch, game-tying free throws with 11 seconds remaining in regulation.
 
Five players scored in double figures for previously red-hot Rider (10-14, 6-8) who, like Siena, had entered play winners of five of their last six including four straight. Mervin James tallied a team-high 15 points, while Ajiri Ogemuno-Johnson contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
 
The Saints rallied from a four-point deficit within a final 40 crazy seconds of regulation to win for the fourth time in their last five visits to the Broncs Zoo. With Rider still up three with 33 seconds to go, the Broncs botched the inbounds pass, leading to a Gaines layup to make it a one-point difference with 26.8 ticks to go. Rider then proceeded to turn it over again on the ensuing inbounds, giving Siena a chance to win.
 
But a tie-up in the corner led the Saints to call a timeout they did not have, thus awarding the Broncs a pair of gigantic free throw attempts and possession with 21.7 seconds left. However, Allen Powell only made one of two and, after Corey McKeithan was fouled but missed the front end of a one-and-one, Siena had new life. Billups was hacked at the other end and calmly made both free throws to tie it, and Dwight Murray, Jr. missed a chance to win at the buzzer, as the game went to overtime knotted at 72.
 
Offense was at a premium in the extra session, as the squads combined to misfire on nine of 10 field goal attempts. The Saints again found themselves down late, but Gaines was fouled in the waning seconds and proved to be the hero with his two huge makes. Jeremiah Pope, who had the hot hand off the bench with 12 points on 5-6 shooting, missed a long look at the potential game-winning three as the final horn sounded.
 
Free throws proved to be enormous again for Siena, which converted on 24-28 in the second half Friday night to rally back from a 10-point deficit to knock off first-place Iona. On Sunday, the Saints shot 17-20 overall from the charity stripe – including 14-17 in the second half and overtime – to secure the first overtime win in four tries during the Carmen Maciariello era. Siena needed all of its clutch free throw makes to overcome a combined 10-36 (28%) shooting performance including 2-16 from three during the second half and overtime. Meanwhile Rider shot just 6-10 from the free throw line in a one-point contest.
 
In a game which featured 19 lead changes and nine ties, the Saints offense came out firing on all cylinders in the first half. Siena jumped out to a quick 19-9 lead at the 12:39 mark, but the Broncs battled back with an 11-2 spurt and the game would be tight from then on. An entertaining opening stanza yielded a 40-38 lead at the break for the Saints, who shot 54% from the field with eight assists and seven threes to register their highest scoring first half of the season.
 
Siena improved to 23-2 under Maciariello when placing four in double figures, as Colby Rogers contributed 13 points and Jackson Stormo scored 10 to go along with seven rebounds. The Saints battled the MAAC's top-rebounding team to a draw on the boards, while holding a +5 differential in turnovers against a Broncs' squad which paces the conference in turnover margin.  
 
Powell (14 points) and Murray, Jr. (10) rounded out the double figure scorers for Rider. Meanwhile leading scorer Dimencio Vaughn (13.3), who scored a game-high 24 nine days ago in Albany, was held to just four points on 2-8 shooting as Siena avenged their only loss in their last seven games.
 
The Saints return to the Capital Region for a pair of pivotal conference contests next weekend. Up first is I-87 rival Marist Friday night at 7 p.m. at MVP Arena.