J.S. Carras/The Record

LOUDONVILLE - Surprising news out of Siena College, on Thursday, as the school announced that they are moving in a new direction and Gina Castelli will not be the head coach next season.

Castelli spent 22 seasons in Loudonville and won more than 300 games for the Saints.

She took the school to one NCAA tournament appearance and three WNIT appearances.

Athletic Director John D'Argenio said it was a difficult decision, especially because the two had worked together for more than 20 years.

“It makes coming to this decision very difficult,” he said.

The school will begin looking for a replacement.

Here are links for today's stories.

Anosike: Future is bright for Siena

Season might not be over for Great Danes

Here are highlights of UAlbany's semifinal matchup against Stony Brook. At about the 3:30 mark, the last play is showed and replayed a number of times.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Siena's resilient team met its match on Sunday evening.

Loyola knocked off the Saints for the third time this season and punched its ticket to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, with a 70-60 victory, at MassMutual Center.

The Greyhounds (23-8) will face Fairfield (19-13), which upset Iona, earlier in the day, on Monday evening, for a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Loyola knocked down seven 3-pointers, five of which came in the second half, as they pulled away.

Loyola was led by Erik Etherly, who scored a game-high 21 points and Shane Walker and Robert Olson each chipped in 12.

The Saints (14-17) shorthanded all season, played only six players, but were still a tough out. 

Kyle Downey led the way for Siena, scoring 17 points, while Owen Wignot added 16.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - It was a pretty even first half, by all accounts.

Neither Siena or Loyola played its best, but the game was back and forth throughout the first half.

The Saints started slowly, falling behind 4-0, but rattled off 11 points jump back into it.

The Greyhounds turned things around, got the lead and held it for the last few minutes of the half.

Owen Wignot leads Siena with seven points, while Shane Walker has seven points for the Greyhounds and Erik Etherly added six. 

One team is just 20 minutes from advancing to Monday's championship game, against Fairfield. The Stags upset Iona, 85-75, getting 26 points and 12 rebounds from All-MAAC selection Rakim Sanders.

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - The University at Albany will host the America East women's basketball championship game.

The Great Danes (22-9) defeated Binghamton 58-50, at the University of Hartford's Chase Arena, on Sunday, to punch a spot in the title game. It will be the first time UAlbany has ever played in the championship game, in program history.

UAlbany will host No. 5 seed University of Maryland-Baltimore County (18-14), which upset No. 1 Boston University, earlier on Sunday. The America East championship game will be played at SEFCU Arena, on Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m.

Junior Ebone Henry led the way for the Great Danes, scoring a game-high 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Linsey Lowrie chipped in 11 points for UAlbany.

Coach Katie Abrahamson-Henderson is now 38-23 in two seasons as the Great Danes head coach.

If the University at Albany women's basketball team can defeat Binghamton in the America East semifinals, they will host the America East championship game, next weekend, at SEFCU Arena.

That's because UMBC dropped No. 1 seed Boston University, in the day's first semifinal, in West Hartford, Conn.

The Great Danes have never played in an America East championship game.