ALBANY, NY – Siena Basketball tips off the New Year and returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action when the Saints host upstart Fairfield Friday night at 7 p.m. at MVP Arena.
 
Tickets to the Saints first game of 2024 can be purchased by clicking the corresponding link, in-person at the MVP Arena Box Office, or by contacting Ticketmaster by phone at (800) 745-3000. The Siena Fan Relations Management Center is on-hand to handle all ticket-related inquiries, and can be reached by phone at (518) 487-2202 or by e-mail at sienatickets2@siena.edu. For all Siena Basketball ticket-related information, log onto sienasaints.com/tickets.
 
Friday's contest marks the Saints annual Food Drive game benefiting the Regional Food Bank of Northeastern New York. All fans who bring three non-perishable canned food items and/or personal hygiene products to the game will receive a voucher to buy one ticket, get one free (of equal or lesser value) to a future home game this season. Moreover, the first 100 fans to donate will also receive a $5 Dunkin' card good to use at any local participating Dunkin' restaurant.
 
Siena (2-11, 1-1) seeks to reverse its fortunes and snap a six-game losing streak as it opens 2024. The Saints showed improvement down the stretch to close out non-conference action, coinciding with the Siena debut of Sean Durugordon and the return to health of Michael Eley. Durugordon has eclipsed the 20-point mark in each of his first three games since donning the Green and Gold, while the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year Eley, who missed six games earlier this season (ankle), is coming off a career-high 30-point performance last time out at UMass.
 
While the Saints enter the New Year on a six-game losing streak, Fairfield (7-6, 1-1) conversely has won six straight under interim head coach and former Niagara head coach (2013-19) Chris Casey. The Stags six-game win streak is the program's longest since winning seven straight at the tail end of the 2017-18 season.
 
Siena has won its first game of the New Year in each of head coach Carmen Maciariello's first four seasons at the helm. Meanwhile, Fairfield has dropped its first game of the New Year in six consecutive seasons. The Saints are facing the Stags in their first game of the New Year for the third straight year.
 
Longtime MAAC rivals Siena and Fairfield meet for the 81^st time, with the Saints leading the all-time series, 47-33. Siena had won nine straight meetings prior to the Stags emerging victorious 62-52 in the most recent matchup between the programs last Jan. 22 in Albany.
 
Kelly O'Donnell and former Saint Conner Fenlon '12 have the call of the game locally in the Capital Region on My4 Albany as well as on ESPN+, which can be viewed by clicking the corresponding link. The final nine Siena Basketball home games will be simulcast locally on Capital Region television on My4 Albany. "The Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari and former Saint Andy Grazulis '92 will have the radio call of the game locally in the Capital Region on JAMZ 96.3 FM, with pregame coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m.
 
Social media updates will be provided courtside throughout the day by following the Saints' official twitter page @SienaMBB. Join the conversation by using the hashtag #MarchOn. Upload pictures of yourself and your friends enjoying the game through the Selfiefinder platform by clicking the corresponding link at the top of the page, or by downloading the Selfiefinder app and searching "Siena." The best selfies from the game will be displayed on the video scoreboard during in the second half.