ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Siena Basketball begins is quest for a seventh Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament Championship when the fourth-seeded Saints battle No. 5 seed Niagara in the MAAC Quarterfinals Thursday at 9:30 p.m. at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 
Both Siena (17-14) and Niagara (15-14) are seeking fresh starts in the postseason. The Saints enter the MAAC Tournament having dropped five straight, while the Purple Eagles have lost five of six. The reward for the victor is a date with top-seeded Iona in the MAAC Semifinals Friday night at 6 p.m. The Gaels dispatched eight-seed Mount St. Mary's 74-54 in quarterfinal action Wednesday evening.
 
It's now or never for Siena which has lost seven of nine overall since the beginning of February. The Saints had sat alone in first place at 9-2 in MAAC action through the end of January. But Siena has suffered some heartbreaking defeats since, with six of their seven losses since the start of last month decided by just a single possession and/or in overtime.
 
The Saints stand second overall trailing only Iona (13) with their six MAAC Championships, and are third all-time in conference history in both MAAC Tournament victories (40) and win percentage (.597). Siena is a superb 31-4 all-time in MAAC Tournament matchups as the higher-seeded team, but is looking to bounce back following first-game exists each of the past two seasons despite being the higher seed.
 
Niagara is the MAAC Tournament No. 5 seed for the third straight season. Picked to finish tied for eighth according to the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, the Purple Eagles got off to a 9-5 league start before stubbing their toe down the stretch. Niagara is led by First Team All-MAAC selection and the conference's leading scorer Noah Thomasson (19.7).
 
Daryl Fein and Steve Eggink have the call of the action on ESPN+, which can be watched by clicking the corresponding link. The "Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari and Andy Grazulis '92 have the radio call of the action courtside from Boardwalk Hall beginning with pregame coverage starting at 9 p.m. locally in the Capital Region on ALT 104.9 FM and online at alt1049albany.com.