MAAC favorite Siena finally hits floor
After long 298-day hiatus, the Siena men’s basketball team finally got back on the floor.
The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference favorite swept Monmouth in a pair of games on Sunday and Monday to open its season after having paused three times due to positive Covid tests within its Tier I personnel.
“Super proud of this group, resilient group,” second-year coach Carmen Maciariello said in his postgame Zoom chat. “We talk about coming together during adverse times and growing our togetherness and our bond. I think we did that.”
The Saints went 20-10 last season en route to the regular-season title, but haven’t been on the floor since they beat Manhattan on March 11 of last year in the MAAC quarterfinals in Atlantic City.
Despite just 11 days of full team activities, Siena looked every bit the preseason favorite in its sweep of the Hawks. It squeezed out a 78-77 victory in the opener on Sunday and followed it up with a dominating, 76-62, win on Monday evening. The Saints have won 12 straight games when you add in their 10game streak to end the 201920 season.
Preseason Player of the Year Jalen Pickett scored 18 points and grabbed a careerbest 14 rebounds in the second game. The junior point guard poured in 20 in the first contest. Senior Manny Camper (13 points, 10 rebounds in the two games) gives Siena arguably the league’s best one-two punch.
“If we wanted to go one more tomorrow, I’d be ready to go tomorrow,” said Pickett, who averaged 38 minutes in the two games. “I love playing basketball.”
Siena, which is playing home games on campus instead of the Times Union Center in Albany, next hosts Canisius on Friday and Saturday.
Quinnipiac is the lone team not to play a league game yet.
The Bobcats (2-2) haven’t been in action since a win over New Hampshire on
Dec. 6. They are scheduled to return to action on Friday against Manhattan for a two-game set.
Iona (5-3, 3-1) is working through is second Covid pause of the season.
Rick Pitino’s Gaels have won three straight, but haven’t seen the floor since an 85-65 victory over Coppin State on Dec. 23. They are scheduled to return on Jan. 15 for a two-game set against Saint Peter’s.
When Fairfield (2-9, 2-4) scored 72 points in its win over Rider on Saturday, it marked the first time in regulation that the Stags broke the 70-point barrier in 43 games under second-year coach Jay Young. The only other times was in an overtime loss to Loyola (Md.) on Nov. 17, 2019.
Niagara (4-4, 3-3) has the league’s best scoring defense, allowing 63.7 points per game, while Monmouth (3-4, 3-3) retains the highest scoring offense at 80.2 points per game.
Here are the top five individual scorers in the league: Isaiah Ross (Iona, 22.2); Jalen Pickett (Siena, 19.0); Ant Nelson (Manhattan, 18.8); Deion Hammond (Monmouth, 18.5); George Papas (Monmouth, 15.2).
The Rider women’s team’s series against Niagara scheduled for this weekend at
Alumni Gymnasium has been postponed due to a positive Covid test within the Niagara program. The Broncs (1-10, 0-6) will instead play at Siena (0-2, 0-2) on Friday and Saturday.
Rider’s series against Niagara will be determined at a later date.