UAlbany defeats Siena⁢ in American Cup

Published ​June 23, 2021

ALBANY — There was no memorable Siena comeback this year.

Amar’e​ Marshall and Co. made sure of ‌that.

The ‍UAlbany men’s basketball program claimed the Albany Cup ‌with an emphatic 86-51 win ⁤Sunday at MVP‍ Arena. The 35-point winning margin was the highest in a‍ an Albany Cup game, eclipsing the 29-point one Siena earned in an 83-54 victory in 2009.

“I thought we were trying to make a statement today,” UAlbany ​head coach Dwayne ‍Killings said. “It wasn’t really necessarily about the Albany Cup, ⁣but it was about what we’re ⁣trying to do for ‌our program. You know, we have a brand-new $12 million ‍arena that‍ opens up on ‍Wednesday, and ‍it’s really important that we motivate people to come out and see ⁤us.”

In Sunday’s win, Marshall totaled a career-high 33 points, just three shy of⁣ the most-ever scored in an⁣ Albany Cup matchup. Back in 2001, in the first Albany Cup, Gloversville⁤ native EJ Gallup scored 36 points⁤ for UAlbany in a 60-48 Siena win.

Marshall, a Hofstra transfer, came into Sunday’s game averaging ⁤15 points​ per game for the Great Danes. He had a couple ​of highlight-worthy ⁢dunks​ as part of a 13-of-20 shooting performance. Marshall also had eight rebounds.

Also for UAlbany,​ which improved to 3-3, Sebastian Thomas ‍scored all 14 of his points after halftime, while Jonathan ⁢Beagle​ added 13 points. Beagle and Thomas each had seven rebounds.

“I thought we were the best ⁤team on the floor⁣ today,” Killings said. “We’ll ⁣take the win, we’ll take the trophy,⁢ we’ll put it up in the office, [but] that’s not ⁤the ⁢trophy we’re playing for; we’re playing for an America ‌East ​championship. I’m super proud of them.”

For Siena, which fell to 1-5, sophomore guard‌ Michael Eley returned after missing the last four games — all​ losses — with an ankle injury. In his return, ⁤Eley scored 20 points on 7-of-18 shooting‌ and grabbed seven rebounds. In Eley’s only other game this season, he scored 24 points and ‌had‍ 11 rebounds⁣ in a win against Holy Cross.

No ⁤other ​Siena player scored more than Bralyn Smith’s eight points.

“Credit to Albany. They won‌ the game in every facet,” Siena head coach Carmen Maciariello‌ said. “I’m not into false statements, a rah-rah⁣ speech here. They kicked our butts. … We have to ⁤understand how hard we have to play, and I apologize to our fans that showed up, our alums, our season-ticket holders because I’ve never been a part⁣ of [an effort like] that.”

Later, Maciariello added: “This is ‌embarrassing. We should be ​embarrassed.”

A year ago, UAlbany had led big⁢ early in the second half, only to ​see‍ Siena storm back for a double-digit⁢ win. UAlbany led by ⁢as many as⁣ 16 points early ‌in that second half before​ Siena ‍outscored UAlbany 41-12 in the final 16 minutes to earn a 75-62 win.

As Division I programs, the Saints lead the series 11-8. All-time, Siena’s won 31 of 56 matchups.

KEY STRETCH

After the teams were ‍tied at 23 late in the ​first half, ‌UAlbany ⁣scored the game’s next 20 points, including the first 15 ‍of the second half.

UAlbany had already stretched its⁤ lead to 35-23 when Maciariello unsuccessfully signaled for a timeout. With the timeout not ⁢granted, Siena‌ committed a turnover, and Marshall made a 3-pointer.

The⁢ Saints​ got their ‌timeout after ​the Marshall⁢ 3, but Siena committed turnovers‍ on its next two ⁤possessions, and UAlbany turned those miscues into five ⁤more ‌points.

A basket ⁢from sophomore Killian Gribben eventually halted the‌ Great Danes’ run,‌ but Siena was never closer than 14 points the rest of the‍ way and trailed by as ⁣many as 37.

INJURY UPDATES

While Siena had starting guards Eley and Zek⁤ Tekin return to its‌ lineup Sunday, UAlbany remained‌ without‌ forward Justin Neely who hasn’t played since tearing his left ACL during the 2022 Albany ‍Cup.

Neely, though, warmed up prior to Sunday’s game in uniform. He returned to street clothes⁤ shortly before the game started and watched the contest from the Great Danes bench.

Neely was the 2021-22 ⁣America East Rookie of the Year before missing nearly all of last season.

NEXT YEAR

The 2024 Albany Cup is slated to take place at Broadview Center.

This year’s matchup was originally⁣ supposed to ​be played at UAlbany, but was changed to MVP Arena​ this past May “out of an abundance of caution due to the arena renovation on UAlbany’s campus.”

The only time UAlbany has hosted the men’s Albany Cup was in 2016 when the Great Danes won 81-72.

UP NEXT

Siena starts⁣ MAAC play Friday with a ⁤home game against Rider. The ⁣Broncs are 1-4 this season and play Maryland Tuesday.

UAlbany plays its first home game ⁤at the ​renovated Broadview Center on Wednesday against 2-4 Boston University. The Great Danes have not⁣ played a ​true ‍home game since a 67-55 loss against Hartford on March 1, 2022.‌ UAlbany played its home games last season at ​Hudson Valley Community College in Troy due⁣ to the renovations to its on-campus arena.

UALBANY

Filien 0-0‍ 0-0 ​0, Marshall 13-20 4-4 33, Beagle 6-10 0-0 13, Thomas 6-12 2-3 14, Jackson 2-3 0-0 4, Newton 1-4 ⁤0-0 2, Reddish 3-8 2-2 9, Bertram 0-2 0-0 0, Little 4-5 0-0 0, Adnan 1-2 0-0 2. Totals: 36-70 ‍8-9 86.

SIENA

Tekin 0-5 1-2 1, Smith 3-9 2-2 8, Gribben 2-4 2-2 6, Eley 7-18 3-4 20, Emejuru⁣ 3-5 0-2 6,⁣ Ojo 0-2⁣ 0-0 0, Birgisson 1-2 0-0 2, Winters 0-0 0-0 0, Courtney 1-6 0-0 2,​ Coyle 0-1 0-0 0,​ Evbagharu 1-6 0-0​ 2, Frazier 2-3 0-1 4, Lazar ⁤0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 20-61 8-13 51.

UAlbany 28 58 — 86

Siena 23 28 — 51

Rebounds: UAlbany 45 (Marshall 8), Siena ⁤33 (Eley 7). Assists: UAlbany 14 (Marshall, Jackson 4), Siena ​9 (Nine players with 1). Turnovers: UAlbany 12 (Beagle 3), Siena ‌18 (Tekin 4). Total fouls: UAlbany 18, Siena 9. Technical​ fouls: Beagle. Fouled out: None. Attendance: