ALBANY - Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro was actually pretty optimistic after the Saints fell 70-57 to No. 23 Butler on Tuesday night.

The Saints played against a strong team, but seemingly should have fared a little better.

“We have to continue the positives and be able to look ourselves in the mirror and correct those negatives,” said senior forward Ryan Rossiter.

Siena needs to find another scoring threat, in addition to Rossiter and Clarence Jackson.

"I'm a little concerned about that," Buonaguro said.

Butler coach Brad Stevens was very high on Rossiter. He said he told Rossiter after the game how much he's improved.

"They’re aren’t very many guys in college basketball, and two of them were in this game (Butler's Matt Howard and Rossiter), that can score with their back to the basket through people,” he said.

Following this loss, the Saints have now lost back-to-back home games for the first time since Jan. 2007. They were 52-4 since those conference losses to Fairfield and Marist.

Siena finds themselves in a tough spot as they head off to Rider for a post-Thanksgiving day Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener.

ALBANY - Ryan Rossiter did his best, but it wasn't enough on this night

Butler came in to Albany and posted the win, minus starter Ronald Nored, who was out after the first minute.

Rossiter finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds and got a big round of applause from the fans when he departed with 45 seconds to go (the Butler play-by-play guy even said he would have applauded if he could have). Rossiter was 12-for-20 from the field.

Clarence Jackson finished with eight points.

Matt Howard finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Butler outscored Siena 38-5 off the bench.

It's the first time since Jan. 2007 that Siena has lost back-to-back home games.

ALBANY - This is shaping up to be a good finish.

It has the feel of a postseason game, despite being played two days shy of Thanksgiving.

Ryan Rossiter is dominating the game, so much so that the Siena stats people gave him an extra basket. When everything was straightened out, Rossiter finished the first 20 minutes with 14 points and nine rebounds to lead the Saints.

O.D. Anosike added six for Siena, which led 13-5 at one point.

Butler's Matt Howard had a tough time getting on track, missing his first six shots, before he hit a 3-pointer. He did draw four charges and leads his team with seven points.

The Bulldogs are playing without Ronald Nored, who injured his head/eye in the game's second minute.

Garrett Butcher, Chase Stigall and Andrew Smith each have six points for the Bulldogs, while the team's leading scorer Shelvin Mack has just four.

Butler is outscoring Siena 22-0 in bench points. Siena is also 0-for-3 from the free throw line.

Both local Division I teams are in action tonight.

Here is my preview on UAlbany's matchup with Iona.

NY Post: Well-traveled Glover finds new home at Iona College

NY Daily News: Jenkins, Machado, Rodriguez key Iona's double-overtime victory

ESPN.com: Tim Cluess introduced as new Iona coach

Here is the advance for Siena's huge mid-major matchup against No. 23 Butler.

Indianapolis Star: Mid Majors face big pressure

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro and senior Clarence Jackson talk about Tuesday's non-conference matchup with Butler.

ALBANY - University at Albany sophomore captain Blake Metcalf knows quite a bit about the Butler men's basketball team.

The Camby, Ind., native grew up just 15 minutes southwest of Indianapolis.

Growing up, Blake would go to the game at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse with his father, Dennis.

"I would always jump at the opportunity because they were always fun games to watch," said Blake before UAlbany's practice on Monday.

Siena takes on Butler on Tuesday night and Metcalf said he would have gone to the game if his team wasn't playing that night. The Great Danes take on Siena's MAAC rival, Iona at 7:30 p.m.

Indiana is commonly known as the birthplace of basketball and Metcalf said the college and high school game is so popular, even more so than professional.

"College and high school basketball are way bigger back home," he said.

Metcalf grew up when Butler had A.J. Graves and made their first couple of appearances in the Sweet 16, but he said it's nothing like last season when the team was just one shot away from beating Duke for the national championship - in Indianapolis.

"My family went to the Final Four and the Final Four practices and they said it was the craziest thing ever," he said.

Metcalf has played against current Butler players Andrew Smith, Chrishawn Hopkins and Garrett Butcher.

Siena got dropped on Saturday, 70-53 to No. 18 Butler at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in their ESPNU BracketBusters matchup.

Photos from AP.

LOUDONVILLE - Siena coach Fran McCaffery indicated on Monday that Butler will be coming to Albany next season for a ESPNU BracketBusters return date.

"I think we're going to play it next year, here," McCaffery said at his weekly media luncheon.

The option was given to give schools two years to return this year's BracketBusters game because it makes for either two home or two road games in one season.

For instance, Siena had to travel to Northern Iowa this year to return last year's BracketBuster game and then has to travel to Butler for this year's event.

McCaffery said that there was no solid date set yet for the game.

Siena has won 13 straight games, the nation's longest winning streak and will take on Butler (18-4) in the ESPNU BracketBusters event on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.