LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Siena Basketball begins a pivotal weekend with its second straight Friday night nationally televised showdown on ESPNU when the Saints battle Rider at 7 p.m. at Alumni Gymnasium. Both Siena and Rider enter the penultimate weekend of the regular season tied with each other for second place in the MAAC Standings, two games back of frontrunning Iona with four games left.
 
The stakes couldn't be much higher for Siena (17-10, 11-5) entering what is likely to be a decisive weekend when it comes to the MAAC Regular Season Championship and final seedings heading into the conference tournament. The Saints are set for a pair of road games over the next three days against a Rider (14-11, 11-5) squad tonight, which enters played tied with Siena for second place in the MAAC Standings, and at an Iona team Sunday seeking to all but wrap up the regular season crown.
 
The Saints are hopeful that a full week of rest following a bye last Sunday will reenergize the squad down the stretch. Siena has gone 5-5 over their last 10 games following a season-long seven-game win streak which spurred a 6-0 start in MAAC action.
 
Meanwhile the Broncs too are looking to bounce back following a lost weekend of their own. Rider lost at home to last place Canisius Friday, before suffering a double overtime defeat at Quinnipiac Sunday. The Broncs had entered last weekend riding an eight-game win streak since their last loss on Jan. 8 against the Saints.
 
Siena has doubled up Rider in the all-time series, 38-19, and captured 11 of the past 15 matchups. The Saints have won three straight and four of their last five in the "Broncs Zoo." Siena took the first matchup between the teams 68-63 in Albany behind a season-high 24 points from Jackson Stormo.
 
Robert Lee and Noah Savage have the call of the nationally televised showdown on ESPNU, which is available to Spectrum subscribers in the Capital Region on Channel 370, and can also be found on DirecTV Channel 208 and DISH Channel 141. The game can also be watched online by clicking the corresponding link. "The Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari and former Saint Conner Fenlon '12 will have the radio call of the action locally in the Capital Region on ALT 104.9 FM and online at alt1049albany.com, with pregame coverage courtside from Alumni Gymnasium beginning at 6:30 p.m.