HAMDEN, CT – The month of January has been quite rewarding for Siena Women's Basketball head coach Jim Jabir over the course of his six seasons at Siena. The Saints (9-8, 6-3) handed the 36-year veteran his sixth five-win January in as many seasons at the helm of the program to continue their recent tear of dominance against MAAC opponents.

Having won only two of the previously 21 meetings over conference rival Quinnipiac, the Green and Gold executed a definitive 78-60 win over the Bobcats (7-11, 4-5) Saturday evening at M&T Bank Arena in Hamden, Connecticut, giving the team its season-high third straight win and fifth victory overall in the last six games.

Coupled with consecutive 21-point victories last week, Siena has now defeated opponents by 18 or more points in three straight games for the first time since doing so February 6-12, 2003.

After beginning the week with a Thursday evening bye and entering a stretch of three of the next four games away from home, the Saints held an early 10-6 advantage thanks to threes from sophomores London Gamble and Teresa Seppala, but ended the opening period tied at 14 by way of a last second shot at the buzzer made by Quinnipiac freshman Karson Martin.

Facing a team that started four freshmen on the afternoon, Siena wielded experience to string together a 10-2 run mid-way through the second quarter, and led by as many as 11 in the first-half en-route to a seven-point halftime lead. After committing three turnovers in the first quarter, the visitors went perfect during the second period en-route to a season-low 11 follies committed in the game.

Finishing the game one point shy of its season-high in scoring, Siena produced 40 points in the second half for the fourth consecutive game, with a 10-3 run opening the third quarter. After missing last Thursday's game due to illness and playing limited minutes on Saturday, senior Ahniysha Jackson looked like her previous self with 11 third quarter points off a trio of triples.

The home team cut the lead to nine off a small run early in the fourth quarter, but the Saints closed out its first win in over three years over the Bobcats with four players in double figures, led by a game-high 20 from Jackson. Seppala went for 17 points and nine boards, while junior and reigning MAAC Player of the Week Anajah Brown just missed out on what would have been her fourth consecutive double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds. Sophomore Elisa Mevius continued to put forth a goodie bag of stats with ten points, seven assists, six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks.

Siena recorded its sixth straight game of 40 percent or better from the field at 44.8 %, while knocking down nine threes, scoring 36 points in the paint, and holding a 42-33 rebound nod. Reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week Ava Sollenne led three Bobcats in double-digit scoring with 15 points.

Boasting a record of 5-3 at home this season, Siena will now battle Manhattan – 7-2 in MAAC play – in a battle of two of the conference's top three teams on Thursday, February 1 at 7 PM inside the UHY Center. Siena Women's Basketball's 23^rd annual Pink Zone contest for breast cancer awareness will take place, once again benefitting The Donna Foundation. Click Here for tickets.