Siena women’s basketball tried to make a splash returning to MVP Arena after a four-year absence, but Binghamton had other plans, snatching a 79-73 victory right out from under them on Sunday. This wasn’t the homecoming the Saints were looking for, dropping them to a 1-2 record with their second straight loss.
Bennett Dominates Inside, Saints Can’t Keep Up
Look, Binghamton’s Kendall Bennett was absolutely lights out. She racked up 27 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, making herself a menace inside the paint. Siena just couldn’t find an answer for her, and that was a massive problem all game long. Coach Terry Primm even admitted it, saying, “They continued to go to No. 4 (Bennett), and it took us too long to decide that we weren’t going to let her be effective anymore.” By the time they figured it out, the damage was done. Binghamton pretty much lived in the paint, outscoring Siena a whopping 42-26 down low, and then just piled on from the foul line with a crushing 25-8 advantage. Seriously, 25 points from the charity stripe? That’s how you win tight games.
Siena’s Francesca Schiro gave it her all, dropping a monster 30 points, showing she was ready for the big stage. They even had a significant edge behind the arc, hitting 11-for-28 from deep compared to Binghamton’s paltry 2-for-11. But even that wasn’t enough to overcome the Bearcats’ physical play. Binghamton’s Bella Pucci added 22 points and five assists, showing off some serious offensive firepower. The Saints actually led 62-59 at one point, but Binghamton exploded with an 11-0 run to flip the script, taking a 70-62 lead with just 3:31 left on the clock. Siena just couldn’t recover after that.
Homecoming Hopes Dented
This game was supposed to be a special moment, Siena’s first time back at MVP Arena since November 2022. Normally, they play their home games on campus at the UHY Center, so getting back to the bigger venue was a cool change. Schiro even said it was “a cool experience” despite the loss, though she wished for “a couple more fans.” Imagine playing a doubleheader after the men’s team won big (82-68 against Princeton), only to see most of the 4,393-strong crowd peace out before your game even tips off. Ouch. Binghamton coach Mary Grimes, a Siena alum herself, had plenty of memories of playing in that arena, but her focus was all on getting her team, the America East preseason favorite, back on track after some tough losses. They executed their game plan, getting the ball inside and doing what she asked.
For Siena, beyond Schiro’s heroics, Caydence Hadley put up 12 points, even sporting a bandage on her chin, a testament to the physicality. But Nicole Melious, who exploded for 43 points in her first two games, was held to a mere five points on 2-of-13 shooting. That’s a huge drop-off and a tough break. Coach Primm summed it up: the team needed “a little more force” and had to “believe in what we’re doing together.” They can’t play as individuals, especially when the other team is dominating the paint and the foul line.
Siena needs to shake off this loss quick. They’re heading to JMA Wireless Dome on Wednesday to take on Syracuse. That’s going to be another huge test, and they desperately need to snap this losing streak and find that collective force Coach Primm is talking about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply