▶ Siena women open MAAC Dec. 9 at home.

The Siena women’s basketball team will open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play at home against Niagara on Wednesday, Dec. 9, according to the schedule released by the league Tuesday.

The Siena women will play a customary 20-game league schedule, 10 home and 10 away, with all their home contests on campus at the Alumni Recreation Center. Fans aren’t allowed by current state regulations because of COVID-19. Times are to be announced.

“I think that for our players to visually see (a schedule), it makes it more real,” Siena head coach Ali Jaques said. “I think the MAAC has been unbelievable. I think (commissioner) Rich Ensor’s leadership, and I know (Siena athletic director) John D’argenio was on a subcommittee, the thought process that went into it and the planning on how to make it work, I feel really confident we’re going to have some kind of a season and for our student-athletes, it’s just tremendous the planning that’s gone in so far.”

The Siena women will play their conference games on Wednesday and Saturdays, allowing two days off for COVID-19 testing between contests. There is an open week from feb .21 to Feb. 27 for any games that need to be made up because of coronavirus.

Siena hasn’t released its non-conference schedule yet. Jaques and her staff are still adjusting those games to account for a college basketball season that will begin on Nov. 25, two weeks later than planned, because of the virus.

The Saints return four starters and eight of their top nine scorers from a team that went 11-20 last season.