The Siena men's basketball team and new coach Jimmy Patsos kick off Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play on Friday evening, with a game against Niagara.

AP

This is the last conference opponent the Saints faced, losing to the Purple Eagles, 74-62, in the 2013 MAAC quarterfinals, in Springfield, Mass. That game was the final game in O.D. Anosike's career. It also marked the final game for coach Mitch Buonaguo, who was fired, three days later.

Nine months later, life springs etnernal for this (mostly) new bunch of Saints, as they head out to western New York to meet Niagara and Canisius.

Siena will be up against the two top scorers in the MAAC, and the leading scorer in the country, in Niagara's Antoine Mason (30.0 ppg), the son of former NBA player Anthony Mason. 

The Saints haven't won at Niagara's Gallagher Center since the 2007-08 season, which was the last year they swept this difficult road trip.

Tonight's game will be broadcast across the state of New York, on Time Warner Cable Sports.

Freshman Stephan Jiggetts has left the University at Albany men's basketball program, according to the school's sports information department.

The reason given was "personal" and Jiggetts changed his Twitter avatar from a head shot in his UAlbany jersey to a different one of him working out late on Tuesday. 

Jiggetts, had originally committed to Siena, when Mitch Buonaguro was the head coach, but decided not to come to Loudonville when Buonaguro was fired.

Jiggetts committed to UAlbany in June. 

Here is his UAlbany bio, but he is no longer listed on the roster online.

Siena guard Rakeem Brookins is facing felony burglary charges, stemming from an incident that allegedly took place 10 days ago.

Brookins, who averaged 11.3 points per game this past season for the Saints, is due in town court on Monday.

It's just the latest in what has been a roller coaster ride of a collegiate career for Brookins, who is from just outside of Philadelphia.

As a freshman, he starred on the court, averaging 9.0 points during the 2010-11 season. Then, he missed all of the 2011-12 season with a back injury. He returned this season, but was suspended for the first three games for violating athletic department policy. In a season filled with mostly misery, as Siena stumbled to an 8-24 finish, Brookins hit one of the biggest shots, a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that won a game against Canisius. The play was recognized nationally as one of the best game-winning shots of the year.

This is the first big hurdle for new coach Jimmy Patsos, who was hired on April 3, following the dismissal of Mitch Buonaguro in March.

Siena Athletic Director John D'Argenio talks about the decision to fire men's basketball coach Mitch Buonaguro and where the program goes from here

Below Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro and senior O.D. Anosike talk about the 74-62 loss to Niagara in the MAAC quarterfinals. 



Anosike talks about the game and his career.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Siena men's coach Mitch Buonaguro talks about the 70-64 victory over Marist in the first round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament.

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro talks about the 65-57 overtime victory over Radford on Sunday.

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro delivers his postgame comments following an 80-57 loss to Loyola (Md.) on Saturday evening.

J.S. Carras/The Record

ALBANY - Rob Poole has struggled mightily the past two games for Siena.

The sophomore guard, who seemed to be a rising star in the league, has now scored three points total in the past two games.

“I think in the second half of the conference (schedule), they have him pretty well scouted now," said Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro.

The Saints did try to run some things for Poole, but it didn't work as he finished 0-2 from the floor and sat out for nearly the game's final 14 minutes, along with senior O.D. Anosike.

“I just have to be more aggressive I think," he said, following the 80-57 loss to Loyola (Md.), in the locker room.

Poole noticed that teams were guarding him differently when the Saints made the Buffalo trip, back in mid-January.

“I need to expand my game, get stronger, I guess and just try to get better," he said. 

Poole is still a very solid player, as evidenced by opposing coach Jimmy Patsos' postgame comments.

“Poole's a really good player, but Bobby (Robert Olson) did a great job defending him," said Patsos. 

Olson scored 20 points and knocked down four 3-pointers and is one of the top veteran guards in the league, which is one day where Poole could be.

“Our Bobby Olson is Poole," said Patsos. 

When Poole was told of the comparison, he seemed to appreciate it. 

“I'll be honest, I hate playing against him," Poole said. "But he's a good player.”

Mike McMahon - The Record

ALBANY - There's no hiding that Siena has struggled under coach Mitch Buonaguro, in terms of record.

Even after the Saints 66-63 victory over Manhattan on Friday evening, the team is just 33-51 in Buonaguro's three seasons as head coach of the Saints. 

Don't count Jaspers coach Steve Masiello among those who think Buonaguro hasn't done a good job.

“I respect Mitch so much," Masiello said following the game. "I think he's done a terrific job with his team. He's had some tough things happen this year, little injuries. He's managed his ball club as well as anyone in this conference. His kids are in every game. They compete, they're a class act and I'm just really impressed by the way he has his team playing.”

Siena has won three of its last four home and four of its last seven overall and Masiello says Siena is playing as well as anyone in the conference.

“I think Mitch Buonaguro's doing a terrific job with his team. I thought they were very well-prepared.”

Buonaguro's record hasn't been great, but he's knocked off the Jaspers five of the eight times, including twice in the postseason. 

“I thought they outplayed us tonight,” said Masiello.

Masiello's team did a good job slowing down O.D. Anosike, the Saints' leading scorer and rebounder on Friday, but it was the other guys who beat them.

“Their role players beat us and that's the sign of a good coach and that's the sign of a team that's growing," said Masiello.

He ended his press conference by saying, “You guys have a good one in Mitch.”

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro talks about the injury to freshman Ryan Oliver, who may be out for the remainder of the year after a knee procedure.

Jeff Couch - The Record

LOUDONVILLE - Reports from the Siena Athletic Department weren't great on Wednesday morning.

Freshman Ryan Oliver is likely out for the season, following a reaggravation of knee injury that will have a diagnostic scope in the coming days. This is on his surgically repaired knee

The scope should keep him out at least one month and more likely six weeks, so it appears his rookie season is over.

"He was playing well," said Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro, before practice. "It's tough because you wanted to count on him for a certain amount of minutes, he was playing a role. We thought we were going to have him back, we didn't think it was a serious as it was, but it hasn't progressed."

Oliver played in 17 games for the Saints and averaged 2.2 points per game, also making one start.

Jeff Couch - The Record

LOUDONVILLE - Trenity Burdine may be No. 2 for the Siena men's basketball team, but coach Mitch Buonaguro is looking for him to be No. 5.

The Saints have gotten solid contributions from four starters, when healthy, but that fifth spot has been an issue, especially from an offensive production standpoint.

"If we can Burdine to get double figures consistently or even eight-nine points, now we're a much different team," said Buonaguro, at his meeting with the media Tuesday afternoon.

Burdine, who has missed time this season due to an athletic department suspension and an academic suspension, provided a huge impact this past weekend for Siena. 

"Trenity offers a different dimension," said Buonaguro.

When Buonaguro recruited Burdine two years ago, he thought the first team all-state player from Reading, Pa., could be a dynamic player. While Burdine's career has been hampered by injuries and off the court issues, he could play a big role down the stretch. 

"Now, if he comes into his own the last nine-ten games, he's only going to make us a lot better," Buonaguro said. "He can score."

Burdine scored 11 points on Friday against Niagara and followed that up with a 13-point game against Marist. In the two games, he combined to shoot 10-16 (62.5%) from the floor, as the Saints posted two of their three highest scoring games. When Siena fell behind Marist on Sunday, they went on a huge 31-10 run to end the first half, what Buonaguro called his team's best offense of the season. 

"We're going to start doing some different things with him," said Buonaguro.

Buonaguro also likes using Burdine at the top of his three-quarters court pressure defense, similar to the position that Edwin Ubiles played a few seasons ago.

"He's 6-6, he's long and he's athletic," Buonaguro said of Burdine. "In that press that I use, that's what you need up there. Yeah, he makes the press better."

Burdine has also only turned the ball over eight times, or just 0.67 turnovers per game, while the team averages 14.9 turnovers per game.

"He doesn't turn the ball over and we've been struggling with turnovers," said Buonaguro.

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro talks about his team's 66-53 victory over Saint Peter's on Sunday afternoon.

J.S. Carras - The Record

ALBANY - Rich Audu didn't start on Sunday, but the Siena freshman didn't let that affect him.

Audu had only averaged 10.4 minutes per game this season, but he played nearly four times that number in the Saints' 66-53 victory over Saint Peter's.

With four minutes remaining and Siena's lead cut to four, 51-47, Audu nailed back-to-back 3-pointers that put the game out of reach.

“Those three's were big," said sophomore Rakeem Brookins. They were tremendous.”

Audu started in place of Rob Poole (flu) on Friday night, but then saw a majority of the minutes go to fellow freshman Ryan Oliver. 

On Sunday, Oliver started, but came out after only one minute, due to a knee sprain and Audu stepped in. 

“I thought it took a while to get going, but he had a very good second half," said Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro. 

Audu had only played 156 minutes all season, but he played 39 on Sunday and every one was needed as the Saints' bench was small. 

“You have to remind yourself what your here for every day and you just have to maintain a love and a passion for this game because you're going to go through good times and you're going to go through bad times," he said. "But you have to stay even-keeled and level-headed.”

Audu is playing with a tape on the thumb of his right hand, which he injured about a week ago in practice, when he was falling.

“He's a shooting guard and that's what the whole community needs to see," Brookins said. "I'm happy he came in and shot the ball with confidence.”  

 Even after 39 minutes of game action, Audu didn't look like he had broken a sweat.

“I'm a little tired," said Audu smiling. "Our trainer DT (Dan Taylor) did a good job conditioning us before the season."

J.S. Carras - The Record

ALBANY - Evan Hymes hadn't been getting a good look at the basket the past two games.

All it took was one poke to the eye and he had one of his best shooting nights as a Siena player.

Hymes, who had shot 2-for-18 from the field over the past two games, was 8-for-12 on Friday night, as Siena took down Canisius, 57-54, and ended its 11-game losing streak.

“I've been putting in extra shots at practice," Hymes said, following the win. "I know I'm a capable shooter, it's just putting in the extra work and that's what I did and it showed tonight.”

Hymes took a vicious hit to the right eye from Canisius big man Chris Manhertz in the first half and looked like he wouldn't return.

In fact, he contact lens was knocked around in his eye and initially, he thought it had scratched the eyeball. It swelled up instantly and forced him back to the locker room.

After halftime, Hymes returned with an ice bag on his eye and sat out for the first few minutes of the second half.

Once he returned, he got right back into the flow and was a big reason why the Saints came out on top.

“I thought it was his best game of the year,” said Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro. “He could not have played better.”

Hymes hit two very long 3-pointers in the second half and his presence is certainly one of the reasons Siena came out victorious. 

LOUDONVILLE - It sounds simple, but winning makes everything a little bit easier.

The Siena men's basketball team has been close -- but frankly close doesn't cut it.

The Saints (0-4, 2-13) haven't won since Nov. 17, nearly a week before Thanksgiving.

“We need a win," sophomore Evan Hymes said on Thursday. "Everybody knows that. We just have to keep competing every night.”

J.S. Carras - The Record

Siena is 2-7 in games decided by six or less points and they've lost four home games by a combined 12 points. Certainly that's about late-game execution, or lack thereof, but also some bad luck.

“It can be youth, it can be experience, you can point to a lot of things," said Saints coach Mitch Buonaguro. "But certainly we have to get a couple wins here for the team’s confidence level.”

And that's all it'll take -- one win, to get this team back thinking, no believing, that they can win.

In fact, despite an epic losing streak, the program's second longest, the players believe they still can turn things around.

“If we can get two here, at home, we’ll be right back in the mix of things," said senior O.D. Anosike. "We just have to focus on Canisius and really try to get a win.”

The Golden Griffins (3-1, 10-5) are currently in a four-way tie for first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference standings, but they haven't finished in the top half of the league's standings since the 1998-99 season.

“The kids have bought in,” said first-year coach Jim Baron. “I think the area has bought in and winning helps. You have to win some games to get them to gel.”

The Saints have taken positive steps, but many times those have been quickly followed by those in the wrong direction.

“All of those good flashes give me confidence that we’re moving in the right direction," Anosike said. "It’s just a matter of putting it together consistently and doing it for 40 minutes.”

Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro looks ahead to playing against Iona, on Friday night, in Albany.

The Saints have won 11 of the past 12 games between these two schools in Albany, including last year's 65-62 victory.

J.S. Carras - The Record

LOUDONVILLE - Siena coach Mitch Buonaguro believes in his team.

There's nothing wrong with that. But the Saints, who have lost nine straight games, have been struggling and there's no question about that.

Still, on Wednesday Buonaguro said he believes his team is better than its 2-11 record. 

"The record's very misleading," he said. "Five or six of the games were very winnable."

Siena may have been able to a win a few, but the old adage is you are what your record says you are. The Saints are just one more loss from matching the worst start in program history, matching the 1970-71 team that started 2-12.  

"When you add everything up, I think the record is a little misleading," Buonaguro said. "I think we're a little better than the record."

Buonaguro is talking about adding up his team's youth and some of the things they've done wrong so far like turning the ball over and poor free-throw shooting.

"There's five or six things, when you analyze it, will add up to 2-11," he said. "But if two of those things change, we're 6-7. I can think of five games, where if we just shot free throws average, in the 60s, we probably would have won."

Both of Siena's wins have come in close games, but the team hasn't won since before Thanksgiving, when they topped Northern Kentucky, 56-52 (Nov. 17). The Saints are 2-6 in games decided by six points or less, including two 1-point losses at home (Vermont, UMass).

Siena has had trouble lately, losing their last three games by an average of 18 points per game and allowed an average of 78.7 points over those three games, all losses.

The biggest loss came in the most recent game, losing 80-52 to La Salle, on Saturday. Buonaguro said Wednesday he didn't even think that game, which was a 34-point deficit at times, was that bad. 

"When I did look at the tape, it really wasn't as bad as I thought," he said.

The Saints are struggling, but Buonaguro still believes his team should have more wins if things had gone their way.

"This is a team that could very easily be 6-7 if things bounced the right way," he said. 

Siena takes on Iona on Friday evening. Since 2000, the Saints are 11-1 against Iona in Albany, including last year's 65-62 victory.

LOUDONVILLE - Siena sophomore Lionel Gomis has left the program, the school announced on Friday.

Gomis recently informed coach Mitch Buonaguro of his desire to leave the program for family reasons.

"We're sorry to see Lionel go, but respect his decision," Buonaguro said.

Gomis appeared in just one game so far for the Saints, playing two minutes in the season-opening loss to Vermont.