LOUDONVILLE, NY – Nearly a year after putting up 94 points on MAAC foe Rider at home, Siena Women's Basketball strung together a decisive second half to again strike gold on its annual Gold Rush game. The Saints (7-8, 4-3) claimed their third straight home win with a 79-58 victory over the Broncs (5-10, 2-4) at the UHY Center Thursday evening to continue a stretch of four of five contests at home between January 6 – 20.

The Green and Gold went over 70 points for the second straight game for the largest win this season and to tie the most points scored in a contest this campaign. The team's third win during the month of January puts it one step closer to achieving at least five victories during the first month of the calendar year in the third straight season under head coach Jim Jabir.

Siena started hot with the first six and eight of the first 11 points of the game, led by six first quarter points from junior Anajah Brown, coming off a monster 18-point, 14-rebound showing last Saturday. After leading by ten with 9:05 remaining in the first half, Rider responded with 11 of the next 12 points thanks to graduate transfer Taylor Langan and senior Makayla Firebaugh to tie the game at 24 with just over four-and-a-half minutes before intermission.

The visitors took a 29-28 lead and then ended the half with a jumper from Sanaa Redmond with under ten seconds remaining to take a 31-30 lead into the locker room.

Looking to break through for their first win of the year when trailing at the half and trying to do so despite the absence of lone senior and leading scorer Ahniysha Jackson, Siena shot a staggering 56.3 percent from the field and out-scored Rider, 24-8, in the third quarter of play, fueled by seven of the first eight points of the period and a 14-2 run to cap the quarter off.

Leading by 15 entering the fourth quarter, the Green and Gold capped off a 49-27 second half advantage with 55.6 percent from the field to go 55.8 percent from the floor in the final half, good for its most accurate half of basketball this season to-date. A 45-28 rebound advantage brought along 15 second chance points, while the home team mustered 24 points off 22 Rider turnovers.

Brown finished off her second straight double-double with a career-best 21 points while adding 13 rebounds. Sophomore Elisa Mevius contributed double-figure scoring for the second time in the last three games with 16 points and seven steals for the third time this season, while sophomore London Gamble came one point off a career high and one board away from a double-double with 15 points and nine rebounds. Eight different Saints scored for the fourth time this season in a game, capped by the first collegiate points late in the fourth quarter from freshman Esther Rodellar.

In addition to putting his team back in the black in MAAC play, the win also marked the 550^th in the 36-year head coaching career of Jabir, who stands 26^th among all active NCAA Division I women's basketball head coaches in wins.

Siena will aim for its fourth straight home victory when it welcomes defending MAAC champion Iona to the UHY Center on Saturday, January 20 at 2 PM. Saturday's contest will mark the program's annual Alumni Day, with a special celebration of the 50^th anniversary of varsity women's basketball at Siena taking place. Click Here for tickets.