POUGHKEEPSIE, NY – Siena Basketball runs the Thruway. Antonio Chandler produced his best performance in a Siena uniform to lead the Saints to the regular season series sweep of I-87 rival Marist with a 67-63 triumph at McCann Arena.  
 
Chandler poured in a Siena (18-9, 11-5) career-high 19 points on a scintillating 9-10 shooting for the Saints, which leapfrogged back over Quinnipiac by a half game for third place in the MAAC Standings. Chandler is now shooting a remarkable 84% (27-32) from the field over the past nine games.  
 
Justin Menard scored 17 points, albeit on just 5-16 shooting, while adding six assists for Marist (16-10, 10-7) which has dropped three straight to sink to fifth place. Justin Schofield added 13 points and seven rebounds, while Jaden Daughtry chipped in 10.
 
Siena built a 36-29 lead at the break, and went on a 16-5 run spanning 6:34 over the first half of the final stanza to open as much as a 19-point advantage at 57-38 with 9:56 remaining.
 
The Saints still led by 17 with less than six minutes to go but, as has been the case in recent years at McCann Arena, the final margin would prove to be much closer. The Red Foxes finished on a 21-8 flurry to provide some late drama, but it wasn't enough as Siena secured its first series sweep in three years. A total of 15 of the past 17 meetings in Poughkeepsie have been decided by single digits and by an average of just 5.7 points.
 
Justice Shoats posted 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists in a bounce back effort for the Saints, which snapped a mini two-game skid and have now matched their win total from the past two seasons combined (18).  
 
Gavin Doty added 15 points and seven rebounds for Siena which improved to a perfect 6-0 on Sundays and 10-1 in afternoon games. The Saints also secured their 11^th win away from home (nine road, two neutral), which is tied for third most in program single-season history.
 
The top shooting team in the MAAC also regained its touch, connecting at a 55% clip against a Marist unit which entered play ranked 18^th nationally in field goal defense (.397). Moreover, the Red Foxes, which suffered just their third defeat in 13 home games, had held their opponents to just 37% shooting this season at McCann Arena.
 
Meanwhile, it was the Siena defense which shined brightest, limiting Marist to just 34% shooting including only 5-23 (22%) from three. Doty headlined the effort, holding the Red Foxes top scorer Rhyjon Blackwell to only two points on just 1-11 shooting
 
After splitting the weekend with the two teams directly behind them in the standings, the stakes get even bigger next week for the Saints as they face the only two teams ahead of them. Siena returns to action when they battle first place Merrimack in a nationally televised primetime showdown on ESPNU Friday night at 8 p.m. in North Andover, Massachusetts.
 
This postgame recap is proudly presented by The Brothers that just do Gutters, a proud partner of Siena Athletics. Trust the team that always comes through – on the court and for your home.