ALBANY, NY —
Francesca Schiro poured in 30 points, but Siena Women's Basketball (1-2) came up short against Binghamton (1-2), falling 79-73 Sunday afternoon at MVP Arena. The Saints connected on eleven 3-pointers, dished out 18 assists and scored 18 points off turnovers in their first appearance at the downtown arena since facing St. Bonaventure on Nov. 16, 2022.
Schiro led all scorers with 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting, including a 6-of-10 mark from beyond the arc. She also contributed four steals and two blocks for her second career 30-point performance, finishing just two points shy of her career high of 32.
Myanna Hatchette added 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, going a perfect 3-for-3 from 3-point range, while
Caydence Hadley finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Kaiya Rain Tucker rounded out Siena's leading contributors with eight points, six rebounds and four assists.
Siena found its rhythm from long range early, knocking down four of seven 3-pointers in the opening quarter. Hatchette and Schiro each connected twice, with Hatchette matching her previous career high in scoring in the opening period alone. Schiro's second triple of the quarter put the Saints ahead 21-19 with 47 seconds remaining, but Binghamton answered with a late layup to send the teams into the second quarter tied at 21.
The Saints delivered their biggest run of the afternoon in the second quarter, turning a 29-26 deficit into a 38-29 advantage with a 12-0 spurt. Schiro ignited the stretch with back-to-back 3-pointers, while
Grace Sundback and Hadley added baskets as Siena capitalized on six Binghamton turnovers in the period. The Bearcats scored the final basket of the half, but the Saints carried a 38-31 lead into the break.
Binghamton regained momentum in the third, outscoring Siena 27-20 to pull even at 58 entering the fourth. The Saints continued to find timely offense, with
Nicole Melious and Hadley each connecting from beyond the arc before Tucker's tip-in and ensuing free throw gave Siena a 53-52 lead with 2:14 remaining. After the Bearcats moved back in front, Schiro buried another 3-pointer with 38 seconds left to knot the score at 58. Binghamton's 13 free throws in the period helped fuel its comeback, while Hadley secured the final rebound to preserve the tie heading into the fourth.
The game remained tight early in the final period before Binghamton used a decisive stretch to take control. After trailing 62-61, the Bearcats scored nine unanswered points to establish a 70-62 advantage. Siena continued to battle, with Schiro scoring inside before assisting on Hatchette's 3-pointer following a Hadley steal to pull the Saints within 76-71 with 34 seconds remaining. Sundback added a layup with nine seconds left to make it a five-point game, but Binghamton converted at the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the 79-73 victory.
Siena returns to action Wednesday, Nov. 11, traveling to Syracuse for a 6 p.m. matchup against the Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome.
