ALBANY, NY – The Albany Cup is coming back home to Loudonville. Siena Basketball led by as many as 18 points early in the second half and then held firm late to reclaim the Albany Cup with a 73-63 triumph over crosstown rival UAlbany in front of 7,024 Capital Region fans at MVP Arena.
 
Tasman Goodrick led four players in double figures, posting a double-double with 19 points on 8-10 shooting while adding 10 rebounds to help Siena (3-2) take back the Albany Cup for the first time in three years. Gavin Doty added 12 of his 15 points in the second half.
 
Preseason All-America East selection Amir Lindsey scored a game-high 23 points on 7-8 shooting for UAlbany (2-4). The Great Danes shot 53% from the field, but recorded only five assists while committing 11 turnovers as the Saints kept up-tempo UAlbany in check while holding them to a half-court game. The Great Danes, who scored just six points all night in transition, entered play leading the America East in both fast break points (20.2) and assists (19.2).
 
Siena came out gangbusters to the 21^st official installment of the Albany Cup, starting a perfect 9-9 from the field to race out to a 20-8 lead less than six minutes in. UAlbany never led, but responded with 12 straight to knot things up at 20 apiece midway through a frenetic start to the first half.  
 
The Saints kicked the offense back into high gear down the stretch with a 10-1 run and took a 46-31 lead at the break. Justice Shoats, who finished with nine assists, scored all 14 of his points in the opening stanza and combined with Goodrick to score 29 first half points on 13-14 shooting. Siena shot 66% overall in the first half.
 
Capital Region native Brendan Coyle rounded out the Saints double figure scorers with 13 points and connected on a three on the first possession of the second half to build the lead to as many as 18 at 49-31.
 
The Great Danes, who shot 57% in the second half, responded with a 10-2 spurt and ultimately rallied back within as few as four points at 61-57 with 9:38 to go.
 
But the Saints made timely shots down the stretch and were near perfect from the free throw line to reclaim the Cup. Siena finished 18-20 from the charity stripe, while UAlbany was just 10-18.
 
Okechukwu Okeke and Zach Matulu scored 11 points apiece for the Great Danes which had won seven of the previous nine Albany Cup matchups.  
 
The Saints continue a busy five-game, 10-day stretch to close out November – and open a four-game holiday week, all away from home – when they take on Holy Cross Monday night at 6 p.m. in Worcester, Massachusetts.