LOUDONVILLE, NY – After closing 2025 with a perfect 4-0 record in December, Siena Women's Basketball looks to carry that momentum into the new year when the Saints host Mount St. Mary's at 2 p.m. on New Year's Day at the UHY Center.
Siena's four-game winning streak has been marked by decisive victories, boasting an average margin of victory of 29.8 points. The Saints' closest game during the stretch was a 17-point win over Canisius, while they also recorded two 38-point victories and a 26-point win. Defensively, the Green and Gold have forced 30 or more turnovers in each of the four games and totaled at least 15 steals in all four—accounting for four of Siena's five games this season with double-digit takeaways. Siena enters Thursday ranked 17th nationally forcing 23.64 turnovers per game.
Freshman standout
Francesca Schiro continues to lead the charge. Coming off her second Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Rookie of the Week honor and recognition as the
Mid-Major Madness Women's Player of the Week, Schiro averaged 22.7 points per game on 50 percent shooting (25-for-50) during Siena's most recent 3-0 week. She recorded two 20-plus-point performances, highlighted by a 32-point effort in the Saints' MAAC opener at Niagara on Dec. 19. The outing made her one of just four MAAC players to reach the 30-point mark this season, with her 32 points ranking second among all single-game scoring performances in the conference. Schiro currently ranks fifth nationally among freshmen and 102nd overall averaging 16.3 points per game.
Nicole Melious has also found her rhythm. After scoring a season-high 19 points against Canisius, the redshirt sophomore is averaging 14.5 points per game during Siena's four-game winning streak. In the process, she has raised her season average from 5.7 to 8.9 points per game while shooting 46 percent from the field, including three games at 50 percent or better.
Mount St. Mary's (6-6, 2-1 MAAC) enters Thursday's matchup after its four-game winning streak was snapped with a 60-56 loss at Merrimack on Monday. The defeat marked the Mountaineers' first MAAC loss of the season and dropped them to 1-5 on the road. Led by Gabrielle Kennerly's 16.2 points per game—fourth-best in the MAAC—the Mount owns the league's fifth-ranked scoring offense (60.8 ppg) and third-ranked scoring defense (62.0 ppg). The Mountaineers also rank among the conference's best defensively, holding opponents to 36.8 percent shooting from the field and 28.0 percent from three-point range. On the glass, they average 37.8 rebounds per game—fourth in the MAAC—including 25.3 defensive rebounds per contest, the third most in the MAAC.
Thursday's game marks the ninth all-time meeting between Siena and Mount St. Mary's, with the series tied 4-4. Despite being a relatively young MAAC rivalry, the matchup has consistently produced tightly contested games. Aside from a 35-point Mount win in the first meeting last season, no other game in the series has been decided by more than 13 points. The remaining seven matchups have featured an average margin of victory of just 6.3 points, with six decided by single digits. Siena earned a 52-49 home win last season and has won two of three meetings in Loudonville since the Mount joined the MAAC.
Kelly O'Donnell and Brian Rubino will have the call on ESPN+, with Hailey Deptula providing sideline coverage. Joe Puccio and Steve Amedeo will handle radio duties on WVCR 88.3 FM. Tickets, live stats, and courtside X updates are available through the corresponding links.
Following Thursday's contest, Siena hits the road to face Iona at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 3, at the Hynes Athletics Center in New Rochelle, New York.
