Saints, Danes set to play

Teams face off for first time since ’17

The Siena and University at Albany men's basketball teams have agreed to play their Albany Cup rivalry game on Saturday, Nov. 12, next season, according to a source.

The game will be played at MVP Arena in the first game of a three-year contract agreed upon last January. The Saints and Great Danes haven't played since the 2017-18 season.

Though the first game is in Siena's home arena, it will be considered a neutral-site contest. There will be a 50-50 split of the seating bowl and shared costs and revenues, officials said.

The programs discontinued their rivalry because of a disagreement over the venue. Under the new contract, the teams will play at MVP Arena next season before going to Ualbany's SEFCU Arena in 2023-24 and then returning to MVP Arena in 2024-25.

The second game in the contract will be a Ualbany home game and the third game will be played in front of Siena's seasonticket holders.

"We're a couple of miles apart from each other and it feels like we should be playing this on a regular basis," Ualbany athletic director Mark Benson said in January. "I think beyond each of our fan bases, this is arguably the premier sporting event in the Capital Region in the winter and beyond. So for the casual basketball fan who may not have an allegiance to either school, they can celebrate with us and know they have a great rivalry."

The teams played for 17 consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2017, and only one game was contested at Ualbany — an 81-72 Great Danes victory in 2016. The rivalry began in 1940 and Siena holds a 30-24 advantage, including 10-7 in the Division I era. However, the Great Danes won six of the last eight meetings before the current interruption.