ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – Seven players. A seventh title. Seventh heaven. Siena Basketball hit the jackpot on the boardwalk as the third-seeded Saints defeated regular season champion Merrimack 64-54 in the Air Force Reserve Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship Game at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall.
 
Siena (23-11) captures the program's seventh MAAC Tournament Championship – and first in six years – while securing an eighth NCAA Tournament berth. Awarded the 2020 MAAC Championship and NCAA Automatic Qualifier as the highest remaining seed when COVID hit, the Saints will finally get to actually play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 16 years after winning the program's first MAAC Championship Game since 2010. Siena will learn its NCAA Tournament matchup when the bracket is revealed Sunday at 6 p.m. on CBS.
 
MAAC Tournament MVP Gavin Doty scored 18 of his 23 points during a masterful second half performance for the Saints, which coupled the clutch play of its sophomore guard and a suffocating defense as the recipe for a title.
 
Siena, which entered play ranked 20^th nationally in scoring defense (66.0), executed a masterclass on the defensive side of the ball. The Saints held Merrimack (23-11) to their second-lowest scoring output of the season on just 29.3% shooting, equaling a season-best mark for the Siena defense.
 
Meanwhile, the Saints dominated the interior at both ends of the court. A tremendous gang rebounding effort from all five starters – who each grabbed eight boards or more – fueled a season-high 50 total rebounds and a whopping +24 margin on the glass. Siena outscored the Warriors 32-12 in the paint, and recorded both a season-high and program MAAC Tournament record 10 blocks.
 
The first freshman in conference history to be named both the MAAC Player and Rookie of the Year, Kevair Kennedy was limited to 15 points for Merrimack. The Saints matched up with post Francis Folefac, who held the playmaking guard to just 5-18 shooting and only four free throw attempts. Kennedy, who went a perfect 16-16 at the line in the Warriors overtime win over Siena last month, entered play ranked second nationally in both made free throws (6.9) and attempts (8.5).
 
Making the program's 10^th MAAC Championship Game appearance and first in nine years, the Saints were ready for the moment. Fueled by a fanatical sea of gold behind their bench, Siena went on a 22-3 run over 7:19 to race out to a 15-point advantage at 24-9 at the 9:32 mark.
 
In a half in which both teams produced double-digit scoring runs, Merrimack responded to 13 straight points from the Saints during their run with a flurry of 10 unanswered to end the stanza to rally within 33-30 at the break.
 
But then the unheralded Siena defense took full control. After coming through with numerous big performances all year long, the Saints saved their best defensive stretch for the biggest moment of the season.
 
Siena held the Warriors scoreless for the opening 9:02 of the second half, forcing Merrimack to misfire on their first 15 shots in the stanza, aided by six blocks. Meanwhile, the Saints scored the opening 12 points of the half to match their largest lead of the game at 45-30 with 12:39 remaining.
 
The regular season champions wouldn't go away easily, however, and put together a 12-2 run down the stretch to pull back within four at 51-47 with 3:47 remaining. But Doty took back over down the stretch, scoring the next six Siena points punctuated by a clutch three to push the lead back to 57-50 and all but seal the deal with 2:19 left.
 
Graduate student Riley Mulvey, who returned home to the Capital Region to conclude his collegiate career, saved his best performance for the biggest stage. Mulvey recorded his first collegiate double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds, while matching a program MAAC Tournament record with five blocks to earn MAAC All-Tournament Team honors.
 
Fellow Capital Region native Brendan Coyle added a double-double of his own with 11 points and 10 rebounds, while Folefac contributed 10 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, and MAAC All-Tournament Team selection Justice Shoats tallied nine points and eight rebounds.
 
Ernest Shelton led the way with 17 points albeit on just 4-13 shooting for Merrimack which shot just 18% (6-33) in the second half. Todd Brogna tallied 12 points for the Warriors who were playing in their third conference championship game in four seasons, and first in their second year of MAAC competition.
 
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.