LOUDONVILLE - Siena sophomore Clarence Jackson had one of the most memorable plays from last Wednesday's game vs. No. 3 Pittsburgh.

Jackson, who tied for team-high honors with 12 points ran the baseline and threw it down to cut the Pitt lead to 19-14 with 8:49 to go in the first half.


(A younger Clarence - obviously not throwing it down)

“I was really proud of him,” said Siena coach Fran McCaffery on Monday. “I thought he came off the bench at a time where we desperately needed a spark and he gave us a spark."

Jackson said his play against Pitt served as a reminder to how well he can play.

“I felt like it was a great confidence builder for me, especially after that dunk,” Jackson said. “It really got me going.”

Jackson said his cell phone got little rest after the game.

“It started with my friends and then my family called me and there were really happy for me,” Jackson said. “They were praying it was going to be on ESPN Top 10, but they said it was just a great game for you.”

Jackson's dunk didn't make it on ESPN's Top 10, but Pitt's Sam Young's did.

The 6-foot-3 guard feels like he is coming into a groove after having a hot summer, but slow start to the season.

“I just feel like I’m getting into my rhythm,” Jackson said. “As I am, everyone is coming up, like Josh (Duell) is getting his 3-point shot back, Kyle (Downey) and the freshman are playing really well. I just feel like everybody is coming into one.”

Jackson is thought of more as a 3-point shooter and outside threat, and while he has been slow to get going from downtown, his attacking the glass against Pitt was a major reason that McCaffery was happy with his performance.

"The irony is, he didn’t make any three’s," McCaffery said. "I think that’s the key for him because last year if he’s not making three’s, he’s not as effective. He played great and didn’t make a three. He makes a couple three’s, that’s a different game and he’s got 20 points, so I think he’s really coming.”

“It was frustrating missing three’s, but I just kept shooting,” Jackson said. “I saw it wasn’t falling and I was doing other things like playing defense, rebounding or just slashing to the basket and it was working for me.”
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While senior Kenny Hasbrouck's offensive game has been slow (the MAAC preseason Player of the Year is averaging just 4.7 points over the past three games), McCaffery isn't overly concerned.

"I think if we were in a prolonged losing streak it would be a concern," McCaffery said. "The thing that’s good about (Kenny) – I think the Marist game he played really well. He only had nine points, for him that’s a low number. Last year he had 36 against them. But if he didn’t play the way he played down the stretch, we wouldn’t have won that game. So I think it’s important that he understands he has to help us in a lot of ways when his shot isn’t going in, and that’s what he does."

Hasbrouck will be guarding Buffalo's top scorer on Tuesday in Rodney Pierce (17.4 ppg), so he'll have to be up on both sides of the court.