Second half rally leads Saints to win over Sacred Heart
ALBANY, NY (NEWS10) -- Siena Basketball erupted for a season-high 54 second half points – out-scoring Sacred Heart by 25 in the stanza – to rally past the Pioneers 93-75 at MVP Arena.
Siena (8-9, 3-3) fired on all cylinders offensively, placing five in double figures for the third time in five games, while posting season-highs in both assists (20) and threes (12) to record their highest regulation point total of the season. Major Freeman led the way in the scoring column with 20 points powered by a career-high six threes – including four over the final 8:53 – as the Saints prevailed in the first meeting between the new MAAC rivals in 50 years.
Two-time MAAC Player of the Week Tanner Thomas scored a game-high 30 points and added seven rebounds for Sacred Heart (6-11, 2-4) which shot an even 50% from the field. Reserve Bryce Johnson added 13 for the Pioneers who dropped to 1-8 on the road.
Siena was plagued early by another slow start as Sacred Heart built as much as a 12-point first half lead at 26-14 midway through the stanza. The Pioneers shot 58% in the first half including 7-14 from three to claim a 46-39 lead at the break.
But the second half was all Saints. Siena went on a 22-6 run over 6:20 to turn what was once a double-digit deficit into a 13-point lead at 80-67 with 5:01 remaining. Sacred Heart responded with the next five points, but the Saints answered with the ensuing 11 to put it away.
Siena shot 55% during the decisive second half including 8-16 from three. Meanwhile on the defensive end, the Saints turned the Pioneers over 10 times in the stanza while holding the MAAC’s top three-point team to 0-7 from beyond the arc.
Justice Shoats tallied 18 points and six assists while Brendan Coyle scored 17 for Siena which held a 26-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
Freshmen Gavin Doty and Devin Brafford also scored in double figures. Doty recorded 15 points while posting season-highs of 11 rebounds – including eight offensive – and six assists (zero turnovers) for the Saints which held an 18-9 margin in second chance scoring. Brafford came off the bench to add career-highs of 15 points of his own on 7-8 shooting and three blocks in 19 minutes.
Siena returns to the road this weekend to continue a stretch where they play four of six away from home to close out the January slate. The Saints face another new MAAC member when they travel to North Andover, Massachusetts to take on Merrimack Saturday at 3 p.m.
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