The matchup was announced today by Siena’s athletic department. Since the game will not be carried on the ESPN family of networks, the Bracketbuster was announced this afternoon prior to the TV game announcement. Hofstra is 1-10 in the CAA and 7-16 overall in their second season under Head Coach Mo Cassara.

“We’re excited to renew our rivalry with Hofstra, one of the top Mid-Major programs in the Northeast,” head coach Mitch Buonaguro said. “It’s a great game for us, and I know it’s an opponent our fans will look forward to seeing at Times Union Center.”

This will be the second time the Pride and Saints face off in a BracketBuster game, they previously faced off on February 18, 2006 when the Saints fell 76-62 at Hofstra. The last time the two played the Saints fell at home to the Pride 84-80 during the 2006-07 season. The Saints are 0-3 all time against the Pride.

Siena will have to return last year’s BracketBuster game next season at Maine, a game they won 71-60. The Saints can return their game with Hofstra either in the 2012-13 or 2013-14 season.

What’s better yet… make your college basketball picks, the Saints are 5 point favorites today.

Both teams are coming in on losing streaks – the Saints have lost their last four games, and the Black Bears have lost five in a row.  Siena and Maine used to compete against each other when they were both members of the North American Conference.  The last time the two teams met was in 1989, when the Saints beat the Black Bears 92-82 in a game that was played in Utica because of the on-campus measles outbreak in Loudonville.

Maine is led by two double digit scorers – 6’7″ senior forward Troy Barnies who is averaging 14.4 points per game, and 6’3″ junior guard Gerald McLemore who is averaging 13.5 points per game.  The team is balanced and deep, though, as nine players average 23 minutes of game time.

Siena, meanwhile, had been battling injuries throughout the season but played their last game out against St. Peter’s with a fully active roster.  The Saints however continue to shoot the basketball poorly and have difficulty scoring in their half court offense.  The best rebounding team in the league, Siena is going to need to rebound effectively and try to push the ball a little more, which has shown some effectiveness throughout the season.

The Saints will also need to put an entire 40 minutes together, which they have not been able to do much at all this year.  The team has looked terrible at times digging themselves in to double digit deficits, but they have looked great battling back each and every time, even though most have been losing efforts.  With three games left to the regular season and a full roster to use, the team will need to gel quickly if a miracle run in Bridgeport is to be made.

Siena will not return this game next year, but instead will meet the Black Bears in Maine during the 2012-2013 season.

Just a phenomenal draw. They are in first place in their league, and there should be some good regional interest. It is an exciting game, because it falls in the midst of the conference season, and there is a lot of energy behind it.
- Mitch Buonaguro

Woods is sure to capture the same magic again with his new book: Underdawgs: How Brad Stevens and the Butler Bulldogs Marched Their Way to the Brink of College Basketball’s National Championship. The foreword is written by Dick Vitale and if you watched Butler-Louisville during the hoops marathon on ESPN, in the first half Vitale noted Woods’ book coming out and his outstanding coverage of the Bulldogs. Below is the book trailer, check it out!

However, there is a re-match to decide on Tuesday night. Will the Saints get revenge at home and start a new home court win streak? First let’s get some insight into the Bulldogs with the writer of the Bulldogs Insider blog at the Indianapolis Star. Follow him on Twitter at DavidWoods007.

Siena Saints Blog: Well how do you feel now about the Bulldogs, having watched a lackluster performance at Louisville and this weekend in a big win over Ball State?

David Woods: Butler looked more like itself against Ball State. The Bulldogs’ 88-55 victory was their most lopsided victory in 70 games, immediately following their 88-73 loss at Louisville — their lost lopsided defeat in 142 games. However, Butler’s lineup remains unsettled and the team is a work in progress.

Siena Saints Blog: Matt Howard appeared to continue in his ways since the Saints and Bulldogs last meeting, getting in foul trouble early and often, how important is it for the Bulldogs for him to be on the floor against the Saints frontcourt?

David Woods: I think Butler coach Brad Stevens has made it clear to Matt Howard that he needs to stay out of foul trouble. But neither does Stevens want to inhibit Howard’s aggressive nature. Stevens said if Howard gets in foul trouble, “so be it.” Howard was in frequent foul trouble during the NCAA Tournament, but Butler had Gordon Hayward to guard the post. Howard did not guard Ball State’s top inside scoring threat, Jarrod Jones. Instead, freshman Khyle Marshall started on Jones.

Siena Saints Blog: Even though the Bulldogs lost Gordon Hayward and Willie Veasely, how much has and will this Final Four run impact the type of players Brad Stevens will be able to bring in?

David Woods: That remains to be seen. Butler lost a fierce recruiting struggle for 6-foot-10 Tyler Zeller of Washington, Ind. (ranked in Top 20). Zeller picked Indiana after his two older brothers, Luke and Tyler, chose Notre Dame and North Carolina, respectively. Recruiting analyst Dave Telep once told me that egos of recruits rated high nationally “won’t allow” them to choose a school such as Butler. Butler will continue trying to attract skilled, versatile prospects that fit its system. Butler does not waste time trying to recruit players it could never sign. Butler coaches thought they had a genuine chance with Zeller, so they actively pursued him.

Siena Saints Blog: We asked you for last years’ game’s key matchup and you said Ronald Nored vs Ronald Moore, and you were right. Nored’s 8 points and 6 assists beat out Moore’s 1-point, 4 assist effort in Butler’s win. So we ask again, what do you see as the key matchup Tuesday night between the Saints and Bulldogs?

David Woods: It would have to be Howard vs. Ryan Rossiter. If Howard can make that an even match, Butler wins. If Rossiter goes wild, Siena wins. Having stated that, it would not surprise me of Howard did not guard Rossiter.

Siena Saints Blog: Your new book, Underdawgs, due out a week after Siena and Butler hook up at the Times Union Center is coming out right in time for basketball fans to add to their reading list.

David Woods: I hope college basketball fans nationwide will be interested enough in Butler’s story to relive the Final Four run via this book. Given where the program was 20 years ago — humble would be an understatement –  the Bulldogs’ achievement was greater than most observers realize.

Siena Saints Blog: Well this is definitely on our reading list and we hope other college basketball fans pick it up as well!

Woods is in his tenth season of covering the Butler Bulldogs. He writes for the Indianapolis Star, has written two books and writes the Bulldogs Insider blog on IndyStar.com. Follow him on twitter at DavidWoods007.

2006-2007 Season

Siena beats UAlbany in double overtime 76-75. Ubiles scores 20 points after hitting 4 from beyond the 3-point arc.

In a normal February game against Manhattan, Ronald Moore has his first double digit asst game with 10 dimes. This would be the first of many. Recap »

After losing two very close games to Marist earlier in the year, the Saints beat the #1 ranked Red Foxes in a semifinal classic and head to the title game for the first time since 2004. Recap »

Alex Franklin ends his freshman year with a bang by scoring 27 points on 10 out of 12 shooting in Siena’s 83-79 MAAC championship loss to Niagara. Recap »

2007-2008 Season

Siena defeats 20th ranked Stanford 79-67 at the Times Union Center. Franklin scores 14 points and Ubiles adds 11. Students and fans stormed the court after the win. Recap »

Josh Duell came up big on the road in Lawrenceville, NJ, hitting a three with 1.3 seconds remaining and capping an 11-2 run in the final 1:58 against the fiesty Broncs. Recap »

In the BracketBuster game the Saints went to Boise State to play the 20-win Broncos and crushed them 93-70. Franklin had a monster game with 30 points and 18 rebounds. Ubiles had 22 points and Moore had 9 assists. Recap »

Siena trounces Rider in the MAAC championship game 74-53. In a game known primarily for Tay Fisher’s six 3’s off the bench, Ubiles added 15 points and Franklin with 10 points. Recap »

For the program’s first NCCA tournament win since 1989, Siena upsets #4 seeded Vanderbilt 83-62. Ubiles scores 11, Franklin 10, and Moore has 6 assists for Siena. Recap »

2008-2009 Season

Siena plays their toughest schedule in school history. #12 Tennessee, Oklahoma State, #3 Pitt, and a Kansas team one year removed from a national title.

After going through the season not being able to beat any significant non conference teams, Siena defeats Northern Iowa 81-75 in their BracketBuster match up. In a balanced scoring game Ubiles scores 10 points, Franklin 9 points, and Moore 8 points. Even a kid made a $25,000 shot. Recap »

Siena gets revenge on Niagara from two years before by beating them in the MAAC championship game 77-70. Franklin puts up 16 points, Ubiles contributes 9 points, while Moore has 7 assists. Recap »

After getting bumped up to a #9 seed, the Saints beat Ohio State 74-72 in double overtime. Ubiles has 20 points and Franklin has a double-double performance with 10 points 13 rebounds. Moore has 11 points with his 7 assists, along with two of the most well-known shots in Siena history that extends the game into the 2nd OT where he then won it. The greatest game in Siena history Recap »

Siena took Rick Pitino and the #1 seeded Louisville to the brink, but lose a close game 79-72. All three players played well with Ubiles scoring 24 points, Franklin 19 points, and Moore with 10 assists. Recap »

2009-2010 Season

After opening up the season with a win against Tennessee State, Siena gets another victory over a solid Northeastern team 59-53. Ubiles scores nearly half the team’s points with 26. Franklin finishes with 9 points and Moore adds 5 assists in this low scoring game. Recap »

The Big Three end their career vs UAlbany with a nearly 30 point victory, 83-54. Ubiles doesn’t play much due to injuries but Franklin has 14 points while Moore puts up a double-double with 13 points 11 assists. Recap »

The seniors’ last victory together made them MAAC champions in a 72-65 defeat of Fairfield. Ubiles leads all scorers with 27 points. Franklin adds a double-double of 22 points and 12 boards. Moore contributes 9 points and 6 assists. Recap »

An end of an era came in the team’s opening round 72-64 loss to Purdue. Franklin scores 10 points and grabs 14 rebounds. Ubiles leads the team with 18 points, and Moore scores 14 points. Recap »

When Rider faced Siena this earlier this season, the Saints’ dominant performance began Siena’s record 15 game winning streak. Siena has clinched the #1 seed in the MAAC Tournament, while Rider is still in the hunt with Niagara and St. Peter’s for the #4 seed.

Friday night will feature the two leading candidates for MAAC Player of the Year on each side of the court. After a slow start to the season, the preseason MAAC POY, Ryan Thompson, has been on fire of late. Over the last 8 games, Thompson is averaging 23.8 PPG and 3.8 APG, yielding 5 Rider wins and 2 close overtime losses, one to their Bracket Buster opponent, Hofstra. Alex Franklin has scored 20+ points in six out of his last ten games, and is averaging 16 PPG – 7.7 RPG – 1.5 APG on the year. Contrast that with Thompson’s season numbers; 17.1 PPG – 5.1 RPG – 2.7 APG, and this game could be the final judgement call for MAAC POY.

The Saints physically dominated their previous meeting, with Franklin and Rossiter both posting double-doubles. The Broncs didn’t help their cause, shooting 0-15 from beyond the arc and ultimately losing by more than 20. Siena held Ryan Thompson assist-less, and to just 4 total points that night. In what could be Ryan’s last game against the Saints, it would be a tall order to expect that same result. With all of Siena’s losses coming on the road this year, look for this game to be much more competitive.

(AP Photo) In what we were hoping would be a more competitive game, Siena could not find their shot in the second half, the Saints scored just 22 points in the half and shot 23.3% from the field as they fell 70-53 at Butler, all but ensuring the Saints will have to win the MAAC Tournament in order to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in March. (ESPN.com Video Highlights)

Siena did a good job containing Matt Howard but Butler quickly picked it up with a 9-2 run sparked by three point shooting. ESPN’s Pat Forde was at the game and gave his quick take on how Butler was able to hold off the Saints. Siena did a great job in the first half to push the tempo but when Howard picked up his fourth foul, Butler found its groove in a four guard set to execute against the Saints defense.

Meanwhile SportingNews Mike DeCourcy drops in on his evaluation of the Saints and gets some good quotes:

The bottom line is Siena lost to every NCAA Tournament team it faced. And there’s this: The MAAC tournament will be played on the Saints’ home court, the Times Union Center in Albany. Given that they clinched the regular season with nearly a month to play, they’re not going to generate much selection committee support if they fall short of the automatic.

“That’s a really good team,” Butler coach Brad Stevens said. “I hope they get their due nationally. They’re a bear to prepare for, and those guys have been there, done that.”

Siena coach Fran McCaffery was asked whether losing this one changed the team’s approach to its remaining games—two in the regular season, and then the league tournament. Not in the mood to talk bubbles, brackets, busters or anything like that, he simply answered, “No.”

Over at The Dagger, Siena (along with William & Mary and Old Dominion) played themselves off of the bubble with losses this weekend.

Boasting a 22-5 record, 16 wins in its last 17 games and the No. 32 spot in the RPI, Siena would have made a strong case for an at-large bid by handing Butler a rare loss at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Now the Saints have no argument, not with an 0-4 record against teams in the RPI top 50 after early-season losses to St. John’s, Temple, Georgia Tech and Northern Iowa.

Rumor has it, even though now BracketBusters teams have two years to play return games, that Butler and Siena are already ironing out a date for a return game at the Times Union Center next season.

But for now let’s recap all of our BracketBusters coverage:

We found out Siena’s BracketBuster opponent as ESPNU made the announcement in late January. Bottom line, when it all comes down to it: ESPN gets what ESPN wants and ESPN wanted a Siena-Butler headliner game to start the event Saturday morning. Matt thought it had to be Butler and was right. Ryan gave a big picture BracketBuster preview on RushTheCourt. Not only that but there was even more coverage of the announcement and the result.

We had a Preview of Siena-Butler… Siena’s at large hopes for a MAAC team aren’t the first in the conference’s history. Remember Manhattan won an at-large bid in 1995 after losing the MAAC Basketball Championship Game to St. Peter’s in Overtime. It might take an overtime controversial loss to give the Saints a chance at an at-large bid since they lack a signature win.

We were also interviewed on College Hoops Journal where Matt Norlander, who also writes on Yahoo!’s The Dagger, started our Q&A with, “I wanted to share with you a quick Q & A I had with the guys over at Siena Saints Blog, truly one of the best team-oriented fan sites out there.” We’re a sucker for compliments and we talk about where Siena stands as a mid-major and how important Ronald Moore is to the team.

We also had a Scouting Report on Butler star Gordon Hayward who appears to be NBA Draft bound. Hayward scored 15 points and dropped in 12 rebounds in Butler’s 17 point win over the Saints.

Follow that up with an extensive question and answer period, our One on One with David Woods of the Indianapolis Star. (Part One Part Two Cross posted at Bulldogs Insider) His book, The Butler Way: The Best of Butler Basketball, is out and available on amazon.com.

Follow us on twitter @SienaSaintsBlog

Butler went on a 9-2 run in the middle of the second half to take control of the game from the Saints. Meanwhile, Siena scored a season low 53 points in the loss and only 22 in the second half. Siena’s shooting was a problem as they shot 23.3% from the field in the second half and 33.9% for the game.

Clarence Jackson led the Saints with 24 points on 9 of 15 shooting. Jackson made Siena’s only two three pointers on the game, Edwin Ubiles and Ronald Moore combined to shoot 0 for 8 from three point range. Moore had even more trouble, shooting 0 for 9 from the field and Ubiles scored just 4 points on 2 of 11 shooting.

Shelvin Mack led Butler with 23 points on 8 of 14 shooting. Butler went 9 for 20 (45%) from three point range, up from their 201st ranked average of 33% coming into the game.

The Bulldogs won without forward Willie Veasley who was nursing a sprained left knee. The Bulldogs have not lost a game since December 22, 2009.

Siena is now 3-2 all time in BracketBuster games as well as 19-3 in games at which they have led at halftime.

Read Our Preview »

More on Butler:
David Woods II, Gordon Hayward Scouting Report,
Bracket Buster Coverage Wrap
All Posts Tagged Butler

Even More:
Where are the Students
Where to Watch
SSB on CollegeHoopsJournal

New York City: Copper Door

Students: You’re on your own

Readers– where will you be watching?