The Siena Men’s Basketball team have been on a roll recently as they just picked up their fourth straight win at home against conference rival, Iona. This win at home was able to secure a four-game win streak for the Saints which now puts them in first in the MAAC standings! The 14-10 Saints only have a game on second place, Saint Peter’s, however, both teams are 10-5 within the conference. The battle for first in the MAAC will be fun to keep an eye out for!
The Saints have made their mark in the MAAC conference with three back to back wins going into their game against Iona. After losing to their biggest competitor, St. Peter’s, back in early February, the team knew something needed to change. Right after the loss, Siena took down three conference rivals including Manhattan, Fairfield, and Rider. A win against Rider was huge as they were a top four team in the standings. The Saints were hot and ready to take on Iona at the Times Union.
The Saints made their game against Iona a lot more interesting than expected. In the first half, Siena had a comfortable lead with a score of 28-40. With impressive performances from Jalen Pickett, Elijah Burns, and Manny Camper, the Saints were able to win only 64-65. Senior, Elijah Burns, was able to hit a clutch free throw with only a few seconds left on the clock which electrified the Times Union Center. Although the game was closer than expected, it was a great team win! Taking both games against Iona this season, Siena pulled away with the sweep over their rivals for the first time in almost a decade! Although it was a win, the team realizes that their second half performance was not very impressive. They will learn from their mistakes and move forward. The Saints have an upcoming game at Fairfield and hope to add on to their four-game win streak. Everyone win will be greatly needed as they clash on with St. Peter’s and the rest of the conference rivals.
The Siena Saints are looking promising going into the MAAC tournament which begins March 10th in Atlantic City. It is very early to predict, but the Saints have a good chance of winning this year’s MAAC tournament and could potentially head to the March Madness tournament as a high seed. Get your tickets now and go watch your Men’s basketball team in action! Who knows where this year will take the team!
Let us also congratulate this year’s captain choice, given to Manny Camper and Elijah Burns. Coach Carm just appointed the two as team captains and it was a well-deserved honor! The two have been prominent members on the team this year. As mentioned, the two were big factors in the win over Iona and we all know they will be ready for the tournament. Let’s go Saints!