OD Anosike and his counterpart Brandon Walters both put up double-doubles on the night. Anosike now leads the nation in consecutive double doubles at 12, after his 23 point and 14 rebound effort. Walters had his best night of the year with 14 points and 12 boards. As Doug Sherman mentioned on the broadcast, OD Anosike is clearly playing his way into the conversation for MAAC Player of the Year. As a team, Siena snagged 15 offensive rebounds and combined for their highest point total of the season.

Kyle Downey put up 11 points and added 6 rebounds and 6 assists on the night. Downey fouled out on a cheap call and got a technical to end his night. In the first half, Downey picked up his third foul with 6:30 to go and Mitch Buonaguro elected to leave him in the game, despite having both Walters and Hopper on the bench. The Saints played at their own pace– slowing it down to protect the guys in foul trouble.

Brandon Penn closed the night with 15 points and 13 rebounds for Rider, and Jonathon Thompson led the way with 16 points and 7 assists. Both teams shot exactly 28-64 from the floor.

Breaking:Manhattan defeats Iona 75-72 in New Rochelle with :01 to go.

SienaSaintsBlog:  What Siena player are you looking forward to seeing play this year?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: Kyle Downey’s return will be good for the backcourt if he can stay healthy but the one player I really want to see is O.D. Anosike. You don’t just replace a player the caliber of Ryan Rossiter; other guys need to step up their play to collectively make up for the departure of a player like Ryan. Anosike averaged 8.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season, so clearly there will be more chances for him to increase those numbers. And with those chances will come more trips to the foul line, meaning that he’s got to step that part of his game up as well (how many points did Ringgold leave on the court due to his free throw troubles?). There are plenty of Saints to point out but if they’re to have a shot at finishing 4th it’s got to be Anosike who takes a big step forward.

SienaSaintsBlog:  Coach Mitch Buonaguro doesn’t want to call this a rebuilding year – but for all intents and purposes… is this a rebuilding year? where are the Saints on the cycle between retool/rebuild?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: I agree with Coach in terms of not using the dreaded “R word”; for a lot of fans that could also mean “resume”, as in “update your resume”. I think Siena’s in between retooling and rebuilding, with guys who are going from their freshman to sophomore years to step up. Rakeem Brookins is a player who comes to mind in that regard, as does Trenity Burdine and senior Brandon Walters needs to make good on his talent as well. Downey and Owen Wignot will help with regards to having steady leadership (as will Anosike), but the youngsters will need to step up as well.

SienaSaintsBlog:  What two things need to happen for Siena to have a good season?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: The two things that need to happen are:

1. Anosike needs to become a consistent force on the low block. Not say he’s got to be on the level of a Mike Glover or Rossiter (that would be unrealistic) but he has to be a guy that Coach and the staff can count on for 13+ points and 7+ rebounds per night.

2. Brookins needs to become one of the better point guards in the MAAC. He’s clearly going to be tested when considering a Derek Needham or Scott Machado, but there’s room to take some steps when considering the losses at a Niagara (Anthony Nelson) or Saint Peter’s (Nick Leon). Can he get it done? Doing so will likely mean more scoring from him as well, but he’s got the tools needed to step up.

SienaSaintsBlog: Now for a MAAC preview, so you’re the believer in Rider this year (see here: article “Ignore Rider at Your Own Peril”) – make the case, can Rider win it?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: I think the Broncs can win the MAAC, although there is a gap between Fairfield, Iona and the rest of the conference. Rider loses two key players in Justin Robinson and Mike Ringgold, but in Novar Gadson they’ve got one of the best players in the conference. Jonathon Thompson (2nd on the team in assists per game last season) will have an expanded role that in talking with Coach Dempsey early in the fall he’s ready to take on, and freshman Eddie Mitchell will be key as well. And you can’t talk Rider front court play without mentioning reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year Danny Stewart. Brandon Penn provides another experienced body inside, and Virginia transfer Jeff Jones ranks right up with Fairfield’s Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade when discussing the top transfers. What Rider will need to do in order to pass the two favorites is continue to improve defensively. The numbers improved last season when compared to prior campaigns, but they need to continue defending at a consistent level in order to have a shot.

SienaSaintsBlog: With MoMo Jones now eligible for the Iona Gaels, does anyone stand in their way?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: The addition of MoMo Jones is a good one for the Gaels. A team that was already deep on the perimeter with the likes of Scott Machado, Kyle Smyth, Jermel Jenkins and Sean Armand among others adds another piece. But if anything I think this does more to widen the gap between Iona/Fairfield and the rest of the MAAC than anything else. Fairfield brings back a wealth of experience and in terms of impact transfers I’d take Rakim Sanders over Jones. I’ll stick with the Stags to win the league at this point, but those two regular season meetings will be ones that no hoops fan will want to miss.

SienaSaintsBlog: What’s your top 3 in the MAAC for this year?

Raphielle Johnson/CollegeHoops.Net: My Top 3 in the MAAC are Fairfield, Iona and Rider. Fairfield has a lot back for a defending champion, and their transfers (Rakim Sanders and Desmond Wade) will be able to step in and have an impact immediately. And don’t forget about freshman Adam Jones; his activity is something else the Stags can add off the bench. I really like Iona. They’re likely going to be the best offensive team in the MAAC. You look at guys like Machado, Glover, Jenkins, Smyth coming back, not to mention newcomers such as Momo Jones and Rashad James, and Tim Cluess won’t lack for weapons. But defensively I give the edge to Fairfield right now, even with a new head coach. Should be fun to watch, that’s for sure.

Follow Raphielle Johnson on twitter at @raphiellej

* – Mass Mutal Center
** – MSG

Siena’s shooting woes have got to be frustrating for both the players and coaching staff.   The team was not taking a ton of low percentage shots, it is unexplainable how your post players (exluding Ryan Rossiter) shoot 1-11 from the field.   It does not matter how great of a gameplan you put together, if you do not put the ball in the hoop, more often than not you are going to wind up on the losing end.

As a team how do you go about correcting the obvious shooting woes? A very difficult question to answer besides staying positive, telling the guys to trust in their shot, not to dwell on the misses, most importantly continue to hustle, and eventually the shots will fall.

This team has shown that it has the talent to win tough ball games and the desire to compete even without Rossiter’s co-senior, Clarence Jackson.  Evident once again on Monday night as they rallied from a dismal 1st half performance with a 16-0 run early in the 2nd half to take a 36-35 lead.   The question remains is will they be able to establish a model of consistency in the 2nd half of conference play?

Room for Improvement:

Going to refrain from stating the obvious. If you did not see the game last night, 21-71 from the field (29.6%).

Keys to Success:

Midway MAAC POY. Ryan Rossiter’s continued ability to put this team on his back and will the team to compete has been a huge bright spot in a season marred by injury and inconsistency.   Anyone who does not feel he has earned MAAC POY honors please speak up now or forever hold your peace.

Team Defense. The Saints delivered another superb performance on the defensive end as they held the MAAC’s leader in 3’s to a meager 31.8%, well below their season average.   Siena forced 14 turnovers and held Rider to 68 points (7 below their season average).

Five Facts:

1.  Ryan Rossiter was 2-2 from 3 point range, and now has 5 for his career.

2.  Rider outscored Siena 11-0 in fast break points.

3.  Siena attempted 14 more shots than Rider (71-57).

4.  Rider made 3 more shots than Siena (24-21).

5.  The Saints have had 5 multiple game losing streaks this season.

Five Questions:

1.  When was the last time a Siena team was limited to 18 points in a half?

2.  Where does this team go from here?

3.  Will Siena finish higher than their mid season standing of 6th?

4.  Any thoughts on a midterm grade for the Saints?

5.  Will this team play a game all year at full strength?

Five Words:

A team that doesn’t quit.

Down five on the road, in the hostile “Zoo”, staring 1-4 in the face, what do you say to your team as a coach heading into the locker room? How is this team going to respond in the face of adversity? Quite resoundingly, with a 20-1 run in the 2nd half. That put the game out of reach, and proved yet again they are still the top dogs of the MAAC. The Saints held Rider, a team averaging above 50% FG, to just 26.7% in the 2nd half– just 24pts. That 2nd half is the way a winning team responds, showing us all a glimpse of what’s to come from this team in the months ahead.

Room for Improvement:
OD Anosike and his foul trouble is a concern, evident against Rider, playing a season low 8 minutes. The need for a sixth man night in and night out is still a question mark, albeit last night was a step in the right direction as the Saints outscored Rider’s bench 21-11.

Keys to Success:
The bench stepped up for the starters and contributing on the offensive end, outscoring Rider by 10. The team played the zone to near perfection as Rider coach Tommy Dempsey said, “I think their zone bothered us”, and were able to shut down a very hot shooting team in the 2nd half. The ability to go on a big run, and prevent your opponent from responding, is a sured winning characteristic.

Five Facts:
1. Saints had five bench players on the floor @ 14:36 of the 1st half, the 1st time this season.
2. The bench outscored their opponent (21-11) for the first time all season.
3. The Saints held the Broncs to 38.3% from the field, a season best.
4. Saints had a season low 12 turnovers.
5. Siena made more FT’s (19) than Rider attempted (14), 2nd time this season, both wins.

Five Questions:
1. Where was OD Anosike last night?
2. How many MAAC games will Siena win this year?
3. Who will be the sixth man of the year on this team (Kyle Griffin or Davis Martens)?
4. When was the last time the Saints bench outscored their opponent prior to last night?
5. Is Ryan Rossiter one of the top 10 big men in the country?

Five Words:
The Standard of the MAAC.

The Siena men’s basketball team had its Thanksgiving meal in a Princeton hotel yesterday, and then head coach Mitch Buonaguro treated the team to a movie. The player’s pick? Unstoppable. For the final 20 minutes Friday, the Saints were just that, using a swarming defense and a dynamic and diverse offense to storm past Rider 73-60 here in Lawrenceville in the first conference basketball game played in the 2010-11 college basketball season.

The movie title could be as easily applied to senior Ryan Rossiter’s play this season.

Rossiter led the Saints’ charge with 18 points and 17 rebounds, marking the third straight game he has had at least 16 points and 16 boards.

“Obviously with a 1-3 record, I think people might have been down on us, but we aren’t down on ourselves at all,” Rossiter said. “We know we just have to keep getting better, and we wanted to make a statement in the first game of league play and reestablish ourselves, and let teams know that we’re serious.”

Siena used a 20-1 run to turn a 47-44 deficit into an insurmountable 64-48 lead with 7:07 to play. The run included two 3-pointers by Jackson, and acrobatic old-fashioned 3-point plays by point guards Rakeem Brookins and Kyle Griffin.

“I think defensively we were doing great (during the run),” Rossiter said. “We were talking, we were moving and we were holding them to one shot. We did a great job on the defensive glass, and that really fuels are offense.”

As good as Rossiter was, Siena enjoyed its most balanced offensive effort of the season. By halftime, 10 players had scored, and five players finished the game with at least seven points. Jackson (15) and Brookins (11) combined to score 21 of their 26 points in the second half.

“(This was) a great road win against a team that was playing really well,” Buonaguro said. “I thought the kids had tremendous focus, especially in the second half. I thought we locked down really well on them. It was a great defensive half. Obviously the defense was a big part of the win.”

Siena mixed defenses throughout the game, but was much more active after intermission. As a result, Rider went from making 15-30 first half field goals, to just 8-30 in the second half. The Broncs entered the game shooting better than 50% from the field and from distance.

Jackson drew the toughest assignment, senior guard Justin Robinson who entered the game having made 13 of the 25 3-pointers he had attempted on the season. He finished with just 12 points on 4-12 shooting.

“I thought Clarence played the best half of defense he has in his entire career (in the second half),” Buonaguro said.

Siena also got big contributions from sophomore Davis Martens who played 21 minutes after starting power forward OD Anosike was saddled with foul trouble for the third straight game. Martens scored three points and grabbed four rebounds, but his real value came on the defensive end where he altered several Rider shots.

“(Davis has) been playing phenomenal anytime he’s been called upon,” Rossiter said when asked about his frontcourt mate. “He’s always battling, he’s always fighting someone for the rebound. He has a good feel for the game.”

Buonaguro hinted that his recent effort could earn him increased playing time.

“I feel really good about Davis,” he said. “It didn’t really surprise me because I’ve seen a marked improvement. The more he plays, the better he gets. I think the 20 minutes is where I want to play him most games.”

Siena has now won two of three road games this season.

“It was an important game, but I haven’t talked a lot about the record,” Buonaguro said. “I think the kids have played well. We have had a tough schedule, and this is our second road win, which is a real plus against two good teams. I think the team is growing which is good. We’re getting better.”

We break down the Saints and Broncs who hook up in the first MAAC matchup of the 2010-11 season the day after Thanksgiving.

Siena Saints Blog: Will Rider’s hot start inflate expectations on what fans might have believed was intended to be a re-tooling year?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: I wouldn’t be so quick to call it a re-tooling year given the overall level of play in the MAAC. Yes, Ryan Thompson is gone, but this team has everyone else back and has two seniors and two juniors in its starting lineup. And remember, Rider lost Jason Thompson, an NBA lottery pick, after the 07-08 season and saw its MAAC win total decrease by only one the following year.

Sometimes it helps when the team isn’t built solely around one player, and that’s how things were — justifiably so at first — last year with Ryan. It was built around him to such a degree that when he played poorly in the first half of the season, Rider was completely lost. To say the least, this year’s team is more balanced.

If this was the MAAC of the last two years, with a dominant Siena team and a few other proven contenders, I wouldn’t consider Rider a threat. But given the lack of a dominant team in the league, I think Rider has a chance to be pretty good in the league — and maybe even win it if things break the right way.

I wouldn’t get too excited about what’s happened so far. It’s not like Rider has beaten a top 25 team or even a team that figures to win a good mid-major league. But there’s a lot of talent, there are a few players — Novar Gadson tops the list — who could take major steps forward, and again, this is a league that’s taken a major step back.

Siena Saints Blog: Amazingly Rider has come out shooting 51% from three point land and 52.7% from inside the arc, what have been the keys to Rider’s offensive surge to start the year?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: First, Gadson is a completely different player when he plays within the offense and doesn’t try to take over. He’s one of the smoothest jump shooters in the league, but he’s put up some ugly shooting numbers for most of his first two seasons because he tries to force bad shots in traffic. This year, he’s getting open, taking good shots, and it’s showing. He’s 11-for-17 from 3 and playing like an all-league player.

The other really big thing is Rider’s bench. They’ve been starting Jon Thompson and Danny Stewart, enabling them to bring Gadson off the bench along with Jhamar Youngblood and Anthony Myles. For a change, there isn’t a single player on the roster who doesn’t belong on the floor in a Division I game.

Siena Saints Blog: How much of an advantage down the road might it be that Rider played games in Springfield at the Hall of Game Tip-Off Classic, the home of the MAAC Tournament next year?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: Frankly, I don’t think it matters at all. I think they’ve gained something from doing as much travel as they’ve done and not letting it affect their level of play. But as far as experience in a particular building? I’m not sure it means anything.

Siena Saints Blog: In Rider’s only loss of the year, they let a 21 point lead slip away against UMass, what are the weaknesses the Minutemen were able to exploit in that game?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: Rider really got into a funk offensively, playing with too much caution and not with the aggressive mentality that enabled them to build the lead in the first place. But a lot of it was UMass — particularly Freddie Riley and Anthony Gurley — getting really hot and Rider not having an answer. It’s also worth noting that UMass has played really well since. I don’t think the first half was indicative of the type of team UMass has. … Not saying they’re an NCAA tournament team, but they’re definitely better than the team that dug itself that kind of hole on its home court.

Siena Saints Blog: What is the match up you are looking forward to in Friday’s conference opener against the Saints?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: I don’t think they’ll end up guarding each other, but I’ll say Justin Robinson against Clarence Jackson. They’re both seniors, they split this week’s MAAC Player of the Week honors, and they’ve both shown an ability to take over games with outside shooting.

Siena Saints Blog: What’s your prediction for Friday night’s game?

Ben Doody/The Trentonian: I’ll say Rider 86, Siena 82.

On a neutral court, I think Siena is a couple points better, but Rider has a lot going for it here: Home-court advantage, a lot of confidence riding a four-game winning streak, and, maybe most importantly, a whole week to prepare whereas Siena has a quick turnaround after the Butler game.

Ben Doody, Assistant Sports Editor for The Trentonian, covers MAAC hoops at The Full Court Press. Follow him on twitter @bendoody.

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 »

Franklin is by far the most fouled person on the team with 225 attempts so far this season, which is already a career high for the senior. His 66.2% from the line is the best free throw numbers he’s put up since his freshman year. However, it’s his stellar performance during the MAAC tournament (when it really matters) that demonstrates how much emphasis Franklin is placing on connecting from the line.

Against Manhattan he went a solid 9-14 (64.2%), but went an amazing 12-13 (92.3%) in the semifinal game against Rider. These percentages are massively higher than his shooting from last year’s tournament when the largest number of free throws he made in a game was 2 against Niagara.

With Siena struggling out of the gate in both of their recent games, it has been Franklin and his free throws that have kept the team within striking distance. His 7 first half points from line against Manhattan helped contain the Jaspers early momentum.

With the number of times Franklin normally goes to the foul line, combined with his much improved shooting makes Franklin a more dangerous threat. His aggressive offensive style not only gets opponents into foul trouble, but now consistently results in points. If he is able to continue this trend, it will be very difficult for anyone to beat the Saints tomorrow in the championship game.

Clarence Jackson, who shot just 2-15 in the Quarterfinal game, came alive in the second half with a three pointer at 15:59 to give Siena a one point lead. Jackson then made another three pointer with 11:16 to go to give the Saints another one point lead. Jackson scored 15 of his 17 points in the second half on 6-9 shooting.

Ryan Rossiter converted a basket in transition, grabbed a rebound and scored a two with 9:21 to give the Saints a 53-48 lead. Rossiter focused on defense against the Broncs, pulling down 18 of the team’s 39 rebounds. He asserted his defensive presence early and often, not allowing any Bronc to drive to the basket with ease.

The MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Player Ryan Thompson and Player of the Year Alex Franklin, carried their teams early. Senior Ryan Thompson scored Rider’s first 12 points. Franklin and Moore combined to score 11 of the first 13 Siena points. Moore found his shooting stroke, scoring 15 points on 5-10 shooting and recorded 10 assists.

Thompson struggled to score in the second half, scoring just 6 points on 3-6 shooting. The Preseason MAAC Player of the Year exited to a standing ovation in the second half, finishing up with 21 points to lead the Broncs. Mike Ringgold scored 20 points and grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

Siena did not trail at halftime in consecutive home games this season, yet has won both games in this weekend’s MAAC Tournament by double digits.

Siena will face the winner of Niagara vs. Fairfield at 7PM tomorrow night on ESPN2.