Siena Defeats Niagara in the First Round of the MAAC Championship
MAAC Sports
ALBANY, N.Y. – The No. 8 seed, Siena College defeated No. 9 Niagara University, 71-54, in the first round contest of the MAAC Men’s Basketball Championship at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York. Siena senior guard Evan Hymes scored a team best, 14 points and added three rebounds for the Saints in the first round win.
Siena opened the game on a 7-2 run to get the action going early. Niagara would cut its deficit to two points, making it 12-10 with 9:48 remaining in the half before the Saints would outscore the Purple Eagles 17-8 and extend their lead to 29-18. With a 34-22, 14 point lead at the half, Siena would go on a 15-6 run to open the second frame pushing its lead up to 21 points. The Purple Eagles would get as close as 11 points late in the contest, but Siena would respond never letting Niagara get under double digits.
Niagara’s duo of Dominique Reid and Emile Blackmon scored 37 of the Purple Eagles 54 points in game. Reid put up a game high 24 points and grabbed nine boards and Blackmon added 13 points with five rebounds.
Ryan Oliver pitched in with 13 points and six rebounds for the Saints, while Marquis Wright dished out six assists and scored 11 points.
Siena advances to the quarterfinal round to face No. 1 Iona College on Saturday, March 7 at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN3.