NCAA Men’s Basketball’s March Madness: A Recap of the Iona-Siena MAAC Conference Championship
ALBANY, NY: Last night, at the Times Union Center, the Siena Saints, the fourth seed in the MAAC conference tournament, took on the Iona Gaels, who entered the championship game possessing a win-loss record of 21-12. Both teams came into this meeting with identical conference records(12-8), and both were seeking a chance to get back to the NCAA tournament. Siena’s offensiveproduction came from its seniors:guard Marquis Wright(29 points), forward/center Brett Bisping(16 points, 14 rebounds), and guard/forward Lavon Long(9 points, 11 rebounds). Alas, these numbers weren’t enough to stop Iona’s scoring attack and execution of clutch plays in overtime, such as the Gaels’ Jordan Washington knocking down two clutch free throws in overtime.
It was a tough loss to swallow for the Saints, who were seeking to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in years. Iona, who made the NCAA tournament last season, was seeking its second straight trip to the “Big Dance.” Both teams wanted this game badly. But in the end, Iona executed the plays they needed to make down the stretch. Tough break Siena, but who knows? Maybe the Saints will get invited to a postseason tournament, such as the NIT.