It was a big Sunday in the MAAC and a big Sunday as well for the University at Albany. 

Currently I'm watching the Marist/Niagara game (you have to love DVR) to see how the Red Foxes, Siena's opponent Thursday night, handed the Purple Eagles their first league loss. 

Right now, it seems as Marist did their damage from downtown. 

In a day where all 10 MAAC teams played, four of the games were decided by a combined 10 points and then there was this game that I'm watching

It doesn't even seem as if the game was as close as the 18-point margin of victory suggests. It was 40-19 and the Red Foxes continue to poor it on.  

There were also what I would call two upsets, Marist winning and Saint Peter's sending Jimmy Patsos' Loyola team to 1-5 in the conference. 

Then you have Rider and Fairfield just barely winning games at home 

The Saints are off to what ties their best conference start in school history, 6-0, after fending off Manhattan 68-64. 

Siena continues to get big efforts from players who aren't usually called on to step. Erik Harris' five points in 14 minutes comes to mind kind of like Steven Priestley's effort against Saint Peter's and Clarence Jackson's against Saint Joseph's. 

Meanwhile, UAlbany won for the third time ever at Patrick Gymnasium, and three in a row since the 2007 America East championship game. 

Will Harris has been on a tear since the conference schedule has began. 

The junior transfer from Virginia is averaging 17 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the Great Danes' three America East games. 

Anthony Raffa continues to impress - he led UAlbany with 22 points and the Great Danes held Marqus Blakely to just 11 points. 

Overall, it was a big day for Siena, who's in first by their lonesome and UAlbany who will play in a first place showdown against Binghamton on Wednesday at SEFCU Arena. 

ALBANY - With Cory Magee out and Josh Duell still trying to return to last season's form, senior Erik Harris was called on to make some key contributions for Siena against UAlbany.

After intermission sophomore Ryan Rossiter didn't return to the floor and so Harris knew he'd have to step up.

"They told us he couldn't see, so he's not going to play," Harris said. "If something goes wrong with Rossiter then I need to be ready."

Rossiter apparently took a shot to the face and didn't play at all in the second half.

No worry. Harris filled in with 13 minutes of playing time, scoring four points and blocking a shot.

"I’m really proud of him," Siena coach Fran McCaffery said. "He was a part of my first recruiting class. He was a big gangly 180 pounds and just worked himself into a player because he has phenomenal character."

Harris got some coaching from Rossiter during timeouts, once Rossiter finally returned to the bench.

"He knows that my tendency is to go for shot block," Harris said. "He told me to stay on me feet and make them score over me and that really helped because they had some trouble scoring over me."

Harris knows his role, but he was able to get some easy lay-ins when the UAlbany defense left him alone.

"Once I'm out there I know my role is to screen for the guys who can score, attack the glass and play sold defense," Harris said.

With the Saints light up front, it was a great time for Harris to step in.

"Okay big fella you have to do it," McCaffery said. "This is your chance and what an opportune time for him to have this type of game."

_______________

Note to Siena junior point guard Ronald Moore, if you don't like your position, UAlbany coach Will Brown would love it.

"Ronald Moore had the greatest job in the world," said Brown following the game. "He gets to pass the ball to those three guys."

Brown was referring to Kenny Hasbrouck, Edwin Ubiles and Alex Franklin, but it was Moore whose 17 points really hurt Brown's Great Danes Saturday night.

"We were going to give up shots to Ronald Moore and he stepped up and knocked them down tonight and that’s credit to them," Brown said.

Ubiles scored a game-high 23 points and drew all sorts of praise from Brown after his defense allowed him to score some easy hoops.

"How do you not guard Edwin Ubiles," Brown said. "The guy is the most talented player in the MAAC and I asked my guys and I didn’t get the answer I was hoping to hear."

The Siena basketball team kicked off their season with a function downtown and an introduction of the players for both the women's and men's basketball teams.

The Saints, who were the preseason No. 1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last year, surely will be again and senior captain Kenny Hasbrouck will almost surely be the preseason Player of the Year in the conference.

Hasbrouck, who along with fellow senior Josh Duell are the two captains, was asked on Monday if he feels like a senior now.

“I feel like I’ve been here for eight years,” Hasbrouck responded. “I feel like I’m getting old. I came here the summer before my freshman year and everybody on campus keeps saying, ‘oh, you’re still here.’”

Siena coach Fran McCaffery introduced his team, including newcomers Owen Wignot, Kyle Downey and walk-on Connor Fenlon (Fenlon's father Joe is a friend of McCaffery and allowed Siena to practice at Tampa Prep during their time in Tampa at the NCAA Tournament in March).

Fenlon did average six points a game and seven assists last year for his father and the Terrapins of Tampa Prep.

Here's what a couple of the veterans said about some of the new guys.

“They’re hard workers and they know there are very high expectations,” junior point guard Ronald Moore said. “There’re getting a sense of how the community and the fans are behind us. They’re excited and as long as they work hard, they’ll find their way.”

“Owen is a great athlete,” Hasbrouck said. “He’s a running rebounder. I think he has to adjust to the college level a little better and has to gain a little weight. I think Kyle Downey is ready right away. He’s real crafty, like his brother, who played for Canisius (that's Kevin Downey). I think he’s more athletic and a little quicker. He’s focused and he works harder than anyone on the team, including myself. He’s in the gym every day, sometimes two times a day.”

Also, Hasbrouck was asked about sophomore Ryan Rossiter, who made waves of progress in Italy during the team's summer trip and seems poised for a big year.

“He hasn’t been a surprise,” Hasbrouck said. “He’s just showing his potential.”

Also, McCaffery mentioned that Erik Harris is now on full-scholarship and he said that this season, Harris' jersey will have his name on it, which it didn't last season.

Look for more in Tuesday's paper.