WASHINGTON, DC– Siena Basketball heads to the nation's capital for the three-game Capital Thanksgiving Classic hosted by American. The Saints open with Longwood Friday at 1 p.m., before taking on host American Saturday at 4 p.m., and then conclude against Maine Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
The "Voice of the Saints" Emmanuel Berbari and former Saint Conner Fenlon '12 will have the radio call of all three games locally in the Capital Region on JAMZ 96.3 FM, with pregame coverage beginning 30 minutes prior to tip-off each day. The Saints matchup against host American Saturday will also be streamed on ESPN+, with Dan Laing and Gordon Austin on the call.
 
Siena (4-2) seeks to build momentum to close out November before the first wave of conference action commences next weekend. So far, the Saints have won their first two games during a challenging five-game, 10-day stretch to secure the program's best six-game non-conference start in a decade.
 
Siena is set to compete in the program's fourth straight Thanksgiving Week MTE. The Saints are 14-19 all-time in Thanksgiving Week tournaments, and are seeking to snap a four-game skid in such events.
 
First up for Siena is Longwood (3-3), which was predicted to finish third in the nine-team Big South following an 18-win campaign last season. The Lancers, who are led by Preseason First Team All-Big South selection Elijah Tucker, have made 27 more free throws than their opponents have attempted over their first six games. The Saints and Longwood are set to meet for the first time ever, as Siena plays just its eighth game all-time against a current Big South program and first in nine years.
 
Host American (3-3) is the defending Patriot League Champion after winning 22 games a season ago. The Eagles are projected to finish fourth in the 10-team conference this season, while Greg Jones was named both the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and a Preseason All-League selection. Siena and American meet for the fifth time in the past seven seasons in a series which the Saints lead all-time, 13-7. Siena won 74-66 last Nov. 12 in Albany. The Eagles are 17-2 at Bender Arena since the start of last season.  
 
Old short-lived conference rivals Siena and Maine (0-6) meet for the first time in 13 years. The Saints lead the all-time series 13-5, including a perfect 10-0 mark as North Atlantic Conference foes from 1984-89. A 20-win program a year ago, the Black Bears were predicted to finish tied for second in the America East Preseason Poll with UAlbany, whom Siena beat 73-63 to reclaim the Albany Cup last Friday. Maine will be the third of four America East teams the Saints will face in non-conference action this season.
 
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