Siena was overwhelmed by Rider in the first half and had too tough of a time digging themselves out in the second.

I was really impressed by Rider’s Jason Thompson. 23 points and 21 rebounds doesn’t even begin to explain the kind of affect, the potential NBA player had on the game.

He was all over the place and really no one on Siena could guard him.

Here are some other postgame reactions from Saturday afternoon’s game that were not included in Sunday’s game story.

Siena sophomore Alex Franklin on Rider’s Jason Thompson
"He definitely lived up to his hype. We just have to come out next time we play them and not let him do that."

Siena junior Josh Duell on guarding Jason Thompson
"Anything I was doing, he was countering and that’s the one thing that makes him such a great player."

Franklin on the Siena’s slow starts the past three games
"We’re not coming out with enough focus or intensity. If we come out with the focus that we played in the second half, it would have been a totally different game."

Duell on Jason Thompson’s overall game
"He’s so talented, he can do everything. The one thing about his game that’s 10 times better than last year is he’s more physical."

Siena coach Fran McCaffery on how Jason Thompson hurt Siena a crucial moments
"He’s a physical presence, he’s going to get his rebounds. He got some in a couple key situations when we could have used one. We have trouble matching up with a guy that size."

Rider coach Tommy Dempsey on Mike Ringgold’s basket after Siena cut the lead to 79-71
"It was a huge play. He made a great pump-fake and then flipped it up high off the glass and I think that was the basket that settled us."

Dempsey on Rider’s last loss – 10 games ago to Marist at home
"That was a defining moment in our season and from that point on, I think we’ve played much more like the team we expected to be."

Jason Thompson on one of Rider’s keys to the game
"I knew they didn’t have any size inside so that was one of the game keys, trying to get the ball to me inside."

The Saints are watching game film Saturday evening and even though tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday, don’t expect the Siena players to be on the couch. They will be practicing in earnest for Monday’s HUGE game against Marist.