ALBANY, NY – Siena Basketball tips off the program's 35^th season of Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference competition when the Saints host preseason favorite Rider as part of Siena College Homecoming For The Holidays Friday night at 7 p.m. at MVP Arena.  
 
Tickets to the conference opener can be purchased by clicking the corresponding link, in-person at the MVP Arena Box Office, or by contacting Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000. The Siena Fan Relations Management Center is on-hand to handle all ticket-related inquiries, and can be reached by phone at (518) 487-2202 or by e-mail at sienatickets2@siena.edu. For all Siena Basketball ticket-related information, log onto sienasaints.com/tickets.
 
Siena (1-5) seeks to change its fortunes as the calendar turns to December and the start of conference play. The Saints dropped five straight to end the month, four of which were by 14 points or more. Predicted to finish fourth according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Siena is an impressive 23-11 (.676) all-time in MAAC openers and a stellar 25-9 in MAAC home-openers. The Saints' 61 MAAC Regular Season victories since the start of the 2018-19 season leads the league.
 
MAAC preseason favorite Rider (1-5), which received eight first-place votes following a second-place regular season conference record a year ago, enters December with an identical record as the Saints, with their only victory to date coming against non-Division I Immaculata. However, three of the Broncs' five losses have come against high-major opponents in then fifth-ranked Marquette, Nebraska, and Maryland. MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Mervin James has averaged 17.5 points and 7.3 rebounds through the first month of the season for Rider.
 
Siena and Rider meet for the 59^th time, with the Saints holding a decisive 38-20 edge in the all-time series. Siena has won seven of the past eight meetings in Albany. The programs split last year's regular season series, with each side winning tight contests on their respective home courts.
 
Robert Lee and Kelly O'Donnell have the call of the game on ESPN+, which can be viewed by clicking the corresponding link. "The Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari and former Saint Andy Grazulis '92 will have the radio call of the game locally in the Capital Region on JAMZ 96.3 FM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.
 
Social media updates will be provided courtside throughout the day by following the Saints' official twitter page @SienaMBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #MarchOn. Upload pictures of yourself and your friends enjoying the game through the Selfiefinder platform by clicking the corresponding link at the top of the page, or by downloading the Selfiefinder app and searching "Siena." The best selfies from the game will be displayed on the video scoreboard during in the second half.