#11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, where they fell to Xavier in the First Round. Minnesota lost two of its top three scorers to graduation, but returns senior guard Blake Hoffarber, who shot 47%(85-182) from 3-point range.
On Saturday, November 20, the Saints travel to Boston to face Northeastern. Siena defeated the Huskies 59-53 at the Times Union Center last season in a nationally-televised game as part of ESPN’s 24 Hours of Basketball. Northeastern went 20-13 in 2009-10, and at one point, held the nation’s longest win streak of 11 games (the Huskies won 15 of 16 from Dec. 25- Feb. 10). The Huskies earned a #5 seed in the Postseason NIT where they lost 59-57 at #4 seed UConn in the First Round. Northeastern lost four of its top five scorers to graduation, including three-time All-CAA per- former Matt Janning, who signed with the Phoenix Suns.
Siena then returns home for one of its most anticipated home games ever. The Saints host National Runner-up Butler Tuesday, November 23 at 7 p.m. at Times Union Center. The Bulldogs went 33-5 in 2009-10 and participated in one of the most memorable National Championship games ever, dropping a 61-59 decision to Duke when Gordon Heyward’s desperation half-court heave hit off the backboard and rim. Butler defeated Siena 70-53 in the premier ESPN BracketBusters game last season at Hinkle Fieldhouse in a game the Saints led 31-28 at halftime. Heyward, the No. 9 pick in this year’s NBA draft (Utah Jazz), and fourth leading scorer Willie Veasley (graduated) are missing from this year’s roster, but Butler still figures to be nationally-ranked when it travels to Albany. The Bulldogs return point guard Shelvin Mack, center Matt Howard, and Horizon League co-Defen- sive Player of the Year Ronald Nored.
The Saints travel to Princeton on Sunday November 28, at 2 p.m., two days after their MAAC season starts in nearby Lawrenceville against Rider. The
Tigers advanced to the semifinals of the CBI in 2009-10, finishing the year with a 22-9 record. Princeton figures to be a favorite for the Ivy League crown this season, as they return their top five scorers and four of five starters from last year's team.
Siena hosts UAlbany on December 4 in a men’s/women’s doubleheader at Times Union Center. Last December, 12,960 fans turned out for Siena’s 83-54 win over the Danes. It was the largest margin of victory for Siena in the rivalry in 63 years. The Saints have won eight of nine games since the rivalry was renewed in 2001.
Perhaps the premier MAAC home game features likely preseason favorite Fairfield on Friday, December 10 at 7 p.m. The Stags pressed Siena to the limit in last year’s MAAC Championship game before succumbing in overtime.
Another highlight of the home schedule comes on December 13, when Siena hosts Florida Atlantic in the second half of a doubleheader. The first game features RPI and New Jersey City University – a team coached by Siena’s all-time leading scorer Marc Brown. Meanwhile, Florida Atlantic is coached by Mike Jarvis, who piloted Siena’s archrival Boston University when Brown helped the Saints to their first NCAA Tournament with a dramatic 68-67 win over the Terriers in the 1989 NAC final.
Another hero from the past returns to the Times Union Center the following week when Paul Hewitt brings his Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to Albany for the first time since 1994. In the 1994 meeting, Siena topped Georgia Tech 76-68 in front of 12,808 fans in the First Round of the NIT. It is one of themost talked-about games in program history, as it sparked a thrilling run to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden. Hewitt was the winningest coach (by percentage) in school history, harboring a 66-27 record from 1997-00 while guiding Siena to the 1999 NCAA
Tournament and the 2000 NIT. The Ramblin’Wreck went 23-10 and advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in 2009-10. They lost three of their top four scorers fromlast year, including NBA lottery pick Derrick Favors (#3 pick – New Jersey Nets).
The 2010 schedule culminates with a pair of road games against Atlantic 10 opponents. Siena renews its rivalry with sister school, St. Bonaventure, December 28 in Olean before traveling back to Philadelphia to continue its series with St. Joseph’s on New Year’s Eve. St. Bonaventure has dominated the all-time series with the Saints (26-9), but the two programs have not met since Dec. 20, 2001 – a 78-74 Bonnies’ win at the TUC. The Saints have defeated St. Joseph’s each of the last two years after the Hawks won the 2007 encounter at the Times Union Center.
The non-conference schedule con- cludes on Saturday, February 19, when the Saints host an ESPNU BracketBusters game against a to-be-determined opponent.
Four of the nine MAAC home games fall on Friday (1), Saturday (1) or Sunday (2), meaning Siena will play seven of its 15 scheduled home games on the weekend.
The Saints play four straight home games from Dec. 4-22, followed by a stretch in which they play five of six games on the road.
Only one league home game (Iona, on Jan. 3) will be played over Siena’s winter break. The students return to campus January 17, when Siena takes on Canisius at home at 7 p.m., with second semester classes starting the next day.
The Saints have positioned themselves well and appear poised to make that difficult step into consistently competing among the top programs in the country. Time will tell which direction the program heads, but make no mistake, Siena basketball is at a crossroads.
2010-11 SIENA COLLEGE BASKETBALL 17
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