LOUDONVILLE, NY – Siena Women's Basketball begins Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play this weekend as it makes its annual trip to Western New York. The Saints open conference action Friday night at Niagara, with tip-off set for 6 p.m. at the Gallagher Center in Niagara Falls, NY.
Siena enters league play with momentum after posting its highest-scoring performance in three seasons, erupting for 94 points in a Dec. 15 win over Central Connecticut State. The Saints connected on a program-record 14 three-pointers and were active on both ends of the floor, recording 22 steals, 55 rebounds, and 23 assists. Each mark represents the program's best single-game total in at least two seasons. Siena also attempted 83 field goals, its most since Nov. 16, 2022.
Nicole Melious fueled the record-setting night from beyond the arc, knocking down five of Siena's 14 triples. The redshirt sophomore has scored a season-high 15 points in back-to-back games, shooting 50 percent from the field (10-for-20) and 57.1 percent from three (8-for-14) during December.
Francesca Schiro is coming off her third 20-point performance of the season—tied for the most in the MAAC. She poured in 22 points for the second time this year while also setting career highs in assists (8) and steals and tying a personal best with six rebounds.
Alexis Rosenfeld (seven rebounds) and
Caydence Hadley (nine rebounds) also posted career highs, with Hadley finishing just one point and one board shy of Siena's first double-double of the season.
Niagara enters conference play still searching for its first win after an 0-9 non-conference slate. The Purple Eagles rank near the bottom of Division I in turnover margin (-5.0), committing a nation-high 26.2 turnovers per game while allowing 83.9 points per contest. Offensively, Talia Dial leads Niagara and is the team's lone double-figure scorer at 10.2 points per game.
Friday marks the 93rd all-time meeting between two of the MAAC's most frequent opponents. Siena owns a 54-38 edge in the series, its second-most wins against a conference foe. The Saints swept Niagara last season, including a 66-64 road victory that snapped a five-game losing streak at the Gallagher Center. Since 2000-01, Siena is 9-14 in games played at Niagara, while the Purple Eagles hold a 6-4 advantage over the last 10 meetings overall.
Carson Harper and Sue Roarke will have the call on ESPN+, with Joe Puccio and Steve Amedio providing local radio coverage on WVCR 88.3 FM. Live stats, tickets, and courtside X updates are available via the provided links.
Following Friday's contest, Siena will continue its Western New York swing Sunday at Canisius, with tip-off against the Golden Griffins scheduled for 1 p.m.
