FAIRFIELD, CT – Fresh off back-to-back home wins to kick off a stretch of four of five contests over a three-week span, Siena Women's Basketball may be on the verge of facing its toughest task yet. The Saints (6-7, 3-2) head to Connecticut to face off against MAAC foe Fairfield (13-1, 5-0) who has won eleven straight contests and received two votes in the latest Associated Press Women's Basketball Top-25 Poll. Tip-off is set for 2 PM at Leo D. Mahoney Arena in Fairfield, Connecticut on Saturday, January 13.

Saturday's contest can be viewed on ESPN+, with the JJ Duke and Edona Thaqi on the call, and can be heard locally on 88.3 FM The Saints or anywhere on iHeartRadio. Pregame coverage tips off at 1:30 PM, with the radio "Voice of the Saints" Joe Mixie and longtime color commentator Steve Amedio on the call. Fans can also follow along with the corresponding live stats link, while continuous in-game press row updates will be provided via the women's basketball team's official X page @Siena_WBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtags #MarchOn, #SienaSaints, and #MAACHoops.

Siena began the week with its second Kids Day matchup in seven days, taking a 66-64 home win over MAAC preseason favorite Niagara at the UHY Center on Thursday. The Saints forced at least 22 turnovers for the third straight game and locked in a home victory over the Purple Eagles for the second straight year, with senior Ahniysha Jackson continuing a hot start to 2024 with 17 points to lead four players in double-figure scoring. Sophomore Elisa Mevius recorded seven steals for the second straight contest and got back in double-digit scoring with 15 points, while sophomore Teresa Seppala added 11 and freshman Ciany Conyers went for a career-best ten points, five rebounds, and three assists.

A monster 31-point performance from Jackson led the Saints to a 64-45 victory over Saint Peter's on January 6, giving the team its biggest win of the year and Jackson the most points scored by a Siena player since January 2018, as well as the program's first 30-point performance since November 2018. Siena's 45 points allowed against the Peacocks were good for its fewest allowed since a 68-44 win at Rider on Dec. 29, 2022, while the team shot a season-best 47.1 percent from the field.

Siena will look to get to at least 4-2 to start MAAC play for the third time in as many seasons in the current stint of head coach Jim Jabir. The Green and Gold have enjoyed at least five wins in each of the past two January slates under Coach Jabir.

Continuing the program's 50^th varsity season, Mevius and junior Anajah Brown continue to rank at or near the top of the MAAC and among the national leaders in multiple statistical categories. Mevius leads the league and is second in steals per-game (4.31), fourth nationally in total steals (56), and 39th nationally in minutes per-game (35.3). Brown leads the league in both blocks per-game (1.46) and total blocks (19). Mevius' steals mark represents the most swipes by a Siena player since 2000 through 13 games, while Brown is tied for the fourth-most blocks through 13 contests by a Siena player since 2000.

The 85^th all-time meeting between the two rivals sees Fairfield hold a 49-35 all-time advantage since 1987. The Saints and the Stags face off after Siena took all three meetings last season in the form of thrillers, most recently a 59-53 victory in the MAAC Quarterfinals, with Siena outscoring Fairfield, 20-10, down the stretch. Siena also got a 61-46 home win on Kids Day at home, and came back down 13 in a 55-51 overtime triumph at Fairfield on January 19, 2023, which featured Siena with only five players for nearly the final 15 minutes of play. Siena has taken four of the last five overall in the series including the only matchup to-date at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. Head Coach Jim Jabir is 9-1 all-time against the Stags, including 7-1 while coaching for Siena.

Under the direction of second year head coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis, Fairfield has received national attention thus far this season, with wins over the Big East's St. John and the Big Ten's Rutgers, and its only loss by a narrow margin to SEC foe Vanderbilt. Currently the MAAC leader in Scoring offense (75.4), field goal percentage (47.6), field goal percentage defense (33.3), rebounding (38.4), and three-pointers per-game (9.8) among other categories, the Stags are 20^th nationally with a +21.4 scoring margin. The team boasts the MAAC's leading scorer in true freshman Meghan Andersen (42.9), who is a seven-time MAAC Rookie and two-time MAAC Player of the Week, as well as the reigning USBWA Tamika Catchings National Freshman of the Week.