LOUDONVILLE, NY - Two of the top-three teams in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) will be under the national spotlight Thursday evening when Siena Women's Basketball (17-10, 14-4 MAAC) travels to Fairfield, CT, to take on the first-place Fairfield Stags (24-3, 18-0 MAAC) at 7 p.m. from Leo D. Mahoney Arena on ESPNU.
 
Former Iowa State All-American Anne O'Neil and Matt Martucci have the call on ESPNU, while Joe Puccio and Steve Amedio will be courtside for the local broadcast on WVCR 88.3 FM. Tickets, live stats. And courtside X updates can be found by clicking on the corresponding links. 
 
ESPNU is available to Spectrum subscribers in the Capital Region on Channel 370, and can also be found on DirecTV Channel 208 and DISH Channel 141. ESPNU can also be accessed through the ESPN app and online at espn.com/watch (subscription required).
 
Siena is currently riding a seven-game winning streak for the second time in as many seasons, and will look for an eighth in a row for the first time since the 2002-03 season when the team won 10 consecutive games from Feb. 6 - Mar. 8, 2003. Coincidentally, this season's winning streak began on the same date as the one set in the 2002-03 season.  
 
The Saints' winning streak is also tied for the 20th longest in the country along with the likes of USC, TCU, UConn, Oklahoma, Northern Arizona, North Texas, and Southern University. Fairfield's 18-game winning streak is tied for the fifth longest streak in the nation. 
 
With games won and lost from the free throw line, Siena came out on the better end in Saturday's three-point win over Mount St. Mary's last Saturday. While the Mount shot just 50% (9-18) from the charity stripe in the game, the Saints cashed in on 20 of 21 attempts to aid in the win. Backed by the national leader in free throw percentage, Teresa Seppala - who is one of just 11 players in the country hitting on 90% or better from the line - the Saints are now 51st nationally shooting 75.8% from the stripe. 
 
The chase for program history is still on for Ahniysha Jackson, who is three made three-point baskets away from becoming the all-time program leader. The graduate student has hit that mark in eight of 25 games played this season as she looks to further etch her name in Siena Women's Basketball history. 
 
Anajah Brown reached the 10 rebound mark for a team-leading fourth time this season in Siena's win over the Mount Saturday, marking the 21st time the senior cleared double figures in boards over her career. At 636 career rebounds, Brown is one of just 22 in program history to achieve more than 600 for her career. Aside from her work on the glass, the senior is dishing out assists at a career rate with 2.3 per game - with her 56 total this season serving as more than in her previous three seasons combined. 
 
Winners of 18 straight games, and the fourth-longest streak in the country of 42 consecutive conference games won, league-leading Fairfield boasts a 24-3 overall mark, and an unblemished 18-0 record in league action. Despite being without MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Janelle Brown for all but eight games this season, the Stags remain one of the most prolific scoring attacks in the nation - ranking top-50 netting 74.8 points per night on a top-15 field goal percentage of 47.4. Sophomore duo Meghan Anderson (14.7 PPG, 48.7 FG%) and Kaety L'Amoreaux (13.3 PPG, 46.7 FG%) lead the team in scoring, while former Saint Emina Selimovic ranks third on the team scoring 10.3 per contest. 
 
Entering the 87th all-time meeting between the Saints and Stags, Fairfield holds a 51-35 edge in the series. The Stags claimed both games last season that were both decided by five points or less, while the teams have split each of the last two played in Fairfield, CT. Siena's last win in the Gold Coast came on Jan. 19, 2023 in a 55-51 OT thriller. Fairfield's last league loss came at the hands of Siena in the 2022-23 MAAC Quarterfinals when the Saints advanced to the semifinals with a 59-53 victory. 
 
Siena concludes the regular season at home Saturday against Manhattan. Tip-off from the UHY Center is set for 2 p.m., with a pregame ceremony to honor seniors Anajah Brown, Valencia Fontenelle-Posson, graduate student Ahniysha Jackson, and manager Elijah Patterson prior to tip.