RIVERDALE, NY – Siena Basketball erased double digit deficits in each half to get back in the win column with a 68-63 triumph over Manhattan at Draddy Gymnasium. Michael Eley scored a game-high 24 points and tallied career-highs of 16 rebounds and three blocks for the Saints which snapped a seven-game losing streak.
 
Sean Durugordon tallied 13 points and seven rebounds for Siena (4-20, 3-10), which secured just its third win spanning its past 13 trips to Riverdale, and first in five years. Mason Courtney came off the bench to add 11 points on 4-5 shooting (3-4 from three) and a career-high four assists for the Saints who snapped a four-game losing streak in the series.
 
Seydou Traore scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Manhattan (5-17, 2-11) which has lost four straight and dropped 14 of 15 following a 4-3 start to the season. Daniel Rouzan added all 12 of his points in the first half for the Jaspers which shot just 32% from the field including only 5-24 (21%) from three.
 
Manhattan raced out to their first of two separate 10-point leads in each half, claiming a quick 12-2 advantage off the jump. Siena settled in thereafter and reeled off 11 unanswered points down the stretch to surge ahead and ultimately take a 37-31 lead at the break. The Saints shot 52% in the opening stanza including 5-10 from three, while limiting the Jaspers to just 1-12 from beyond the arc.
 
Manhattan mounted a 20-3 run midway through the second half to forge back ahead and reclaim its second double-digit margin at 57-47 with 7:09 remaining. The Jaspers dished out 20 assists on their 23 made field goals while committing just seven turnovers.
 
But in a game full of double-digit runs, Siena struck the final decisive blow. The Saints responded with a 17-1 run spanning 5:40 during crunch time to surge ahead for good at 64-58 with 34 seconds left. Eley scored the final seven points of the run, highlighted by the go-ahead transition three-point play to put Siena ahead for the final time at 60-58 with 2:16 to go.
 
Defensively, the Saints forced Manhattan to misfire on nine straight shots down the stretch, and made clutch free throws to win for the first time this year when trailing with under five minutes remaining. Siena, which entered play ranked fifth worst nationally in free throw percentage (.628), connected at an 86% clip (18-21) from the charity stripe.
 
The Saints continue their two-game swing in the Tri-State area Friday when they take on Saint Peter's at 7 p.m. in Jersey City, New Jersey.