ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Siena Basketball cut a 16-point second half deficit to as little as two, but couldn't get over the hump as No. 11 seed Quinnipiac defeated the third-seeded Saints 77-71 in the MAAC Quarterfinals at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. Siena completes its 2021-22 season with a final record of 15-14.
 
Jacob Rigoni scored 16 points and added eight rebounds for Quinnipiac (14-16) which becomes the first-ever 11-seed to advance to the MAAC Semifinals. The Bobcats will face second-seeded Saint Peter's Friday night at 8:30 p.m. with a spot in the MAAC Championship on the line.
 
Freshman guard Javian McCollum scored a season-high 16 points and dished out four assists in his second collegiate start to lead Siena, which closed out a promising season with three straight defeats. Classmate Jared Billups added 11 points, nine rebounds, and three steals for the Saints, which shot just 37% from the field despite connecting at a 41% (9-22) clip from deep.
 
Injury-plagued Siena, which dressed only 11 players including just eight scholarship student athletes, jumped out to an inspired 16-8 lead. But Quinnipiac, which shot an even 50% on the evening including 10-21 from three, responded with a 15-2 run and led the rest of the way. The Bobcats shot 55% both from the field and from distance in the first half to take a 40-32 lead at the break.
 
Quinnipiac built a seemingly insurmountable lead of a game-high 16 points at 58-42 with 10:01 remaining, but Siena would not go down without a fight. The Saints stormed back with a 16-2 surge over just 4:04 to rally back within as close as just two at 60-58 with still 5:26 to play.
 
But the teams traded threes on the ensuing five possessions, with Rigoni bookending the barrage to stake the Bobcats to a 69-64 advantage with 2:35 to go. Siena would get no closer than four in the waning seconds.
 
Matt Balanc added 15 points for Quinnipiac, while Dezi Jones scored 11.
 
The Saints finished with four players in double figures, with Colby Rogers getting hot late in scoring 11 of his 14 points in the second half. Jackson Stormo chipped in 12.
 
Despite not finishing with the ending that they had hoped for, the future is bright for a Siena Basketball program which achieved both its fourth straight third place or better finish in the MAAC, and better than .500 overall record.