HAMDEN, CT – MAAC frontrunner Quinnipiac opened the game on a 16-3 spurt and began the second half on a 24-5 run to defeat Siena Basketball 71-57 at M&T Bank Arena.
 
Matt Balanc posted his second 26-point effort this season against Siena (4-25, 3-15) for first-place Quinnipiac (21-8, 13-5), which opened a full one-game lead over idle Fairfield atop the MAAC Standings with two games remaining. Amarri Tice came off the bench to add 19 points for the Bobcats who held a 21-0 advantage in fast break points.
 
Freshman walk-on Kyle Winters scored a career-high 20 points on 8-11 shooting and 4-6 from three for the Saints, who fell for just the third time in nine all-time trips to Hamden. Mason Courtney added 13 of his 15 points in the first half and Giovanni Emejuru contributed 12 points for Siena, which was once again without four of its top-six scorers. 
 
After Quinnipiac opened on its 16-3 run spanning the first 6:24, Siena responded with nine straight. The Bobcats later built their first half lead back to 13, but a 10-2 spurt to end the half rallied the Saints back within 38-33 at the break.
 
But the final Quinnipiac run would prove to be decisive. The Bobcats 24-5 run spanned the first 10:54 of the second half, as Quinnipiac opened a commanding 62-38 advantage with 9:06 remaining. Siena missed 13 of its 15 shots while committing six turnovers during the run.
 
Savion Lewis, who entered the day fourth nationally in assists (7.3), added eight more to break the Bobcats single-season assists record with 213.
 
The Saints return home to begin the final week of regular season action when they host Niagara for Senior Night Thursday at 7 p.m. at MVP Arena.