LOUDONVILLE, NY - Siena Women's Basketball looks for its first 2-0 start in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play since 2018-19 on Saturday when the Saints host the Canisius Golden Griffins at 2 p.m. from the UHY Center. 
 
Emmanuel Berbari and Brian Rubino will be on hand for the ESPN+ broadcast, while Joe Puccio and Steve Amedio will have the call locally on WVCR 88.3 FM. Tickets, international stream, live stats, and courtside X updates can be found by clicking on the corresponding links. 
 
Siena's (4-5, 1-0 MAAC) league-opening win over Niagara on Thursday came with a milestone for veteran Anajah Brown. The senior joined the program's 500 rebound club after grabbing 13 in the win, the most she's had in a game since also pulling down 13 against Manhattan on Feb. 1, 2024. Her nine offensive rebounds tied a single-game career high that she set at Mount St. Mary's exactly two years to the day of Thursday's game on Dec. 19, 2022. 
 
Brown's 13 point, 10 rebound double-double served as the 15th of her career, while freshman Zyriah Price recorded the second of her young start. Price's impact on the game was shown during closing time in the fourth quarter, scoring seven of her 10 points over the final 7:11 of the game. Her 10 boards came as her second career double-figure rebounding game, while her four steals were a single-game career high. 
 
Teresa Seppala notched her second game this season with 20 or more points on Thursday, and extended her double-figure scoring streak to 15 games dating back to last season. Ahniysha Jackson recorded her sixth consecutive double-digit scoring game on Thursday, and eighth of the season, while tying a single-game career high with five assists. Jackson finds herself 75 points shy of joining the coveted 1,000-point club, while Seppala is inching closer to a pair of milestones with 823 career points, and 428 rebounds. 
 
Picked to finish 13th in the MAAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, Canisius is off to a 1-9 start under first-year head coach Tiffany Swoffard, and 0-1 in league play following a 62-47 loss at Merrimack on Thursday. Led by Shariah Gailes (8.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG) and Jaela Johnson (9.3 PPG, 3.6 APG), the Golden Griffins are in search for their first win of the season since defeating Saint Francis (PA) on the road, 48-46, on Nov. 15. 
 
Entering the 86th game of the all-time series, the Saints hold a 57-28 edge over the Golden Griffins. Loudonville has proven to be a tough place for Canisius to play since the turn of the century. Dating back to the 2000-01 season, the Saints have posted an 18-5 record at home against the Golden Griffins. Siena's .783 home winning percentage against Canisius during that span is its highest against any MAAC opponent with more than five games played.
 
Canisius came away with a 71-64 victory in the most recent meeting on Feb. 17, 2024 in Buffalo, NY. 
 
Saturday's game will conclude the Catholic Charities Christmas Series, which featured each of Siena Men's and Women's Basketball home games against Catholic institutions this past week leading up to Christmas. All fans who donate to Catholic Charities on Saturday can secure a special voucher either to purchase a ticket for just $12.25 to see the men host archrival Iona on Sunday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. at MVP Arena, or for a complimentary ticket to a women's regular season home game.
 
December 21 also serves as World Basketball Day, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2023. It was on that date in 1891 that basketball was played for the first time at the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts, after Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor, developed the game to keep his students active during the winter months. 
 
The NCAA has again joined in the celebration of World Basketball Day, showcasing the role basketball plays in bringing people together and uniting communities around the world. Exclusive content on NCAA.com, social/digital posts on the various NCAA platforms and exclusive offers for NCAA basketball championship tickets will be part of the day, joining similar efforts being put forth by the worldwide basketball community, including USA Basketball, National Basketball Association, Women's National Basketball Association, National Basketball Players Association, Women's National Basketball Players Association and others. To read more from the UN on World Basketball Day, visit this article.
 
Siena will conclude its month-long homestand against Cornell at 6 p.m. on Mon., Dec. 30 for its final non-conference contest of the season. Tickets for the game can be parched here.