Siena looks to refocus for fourth game in seven days, last four of regular season

Still tied for second in MAAC, Siena aims to reset after Tuesday's loss to Monmouth as it heads to Quinnipiac. (Photo by Siena College Athletics)

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — While most will look at Siena’s current standing — tied for second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference — and see a team that has outperformed an eighth-place prediction, those within the locker room will admit the team has had its share of hiccups, the latest of which coming Tuesday in a loss to Monmouth where both head coach Carmen Maciariello and forward Jackson Stormo admitted the Saints came out flat in a first half that saw 21 percent shooting and almost six minutes without a field goal.

“I think that’s constantly been the battle with this group,” Maciariello said when navigating an arduous February made difficult by reschedules games from December and January due to COVID-19, but not making excuses for a group that has hit its bumps in the proverbial road. “Continuing to be in character and being humbled by losses, right? We get swept by Manhattan, we split with Marist, we had a 10-point lead against them, Rider — a game at home where we’re playing well and we don’t show up — and then obviously I was expecting us to play well on one day prep and being on the road. I thought our focus would be a little better, but also for this group, it’s their first time playing here so it’s a learning lesson. For me, they’re always teaching moments.”

“We just can’t take this one to heart,” Stormo echoed as Siena now sets its sights on Quinnipiac Thursday in Hamden, seeking a season sweep of the Bobcats. “We’ve got a big game on Thursday now. I’ve been saying for the past couple of weeks that every game’s a big game, but we’ve got to go take care of this one on the road. It was big that we didn’t fold.”

Although the No. 1 seed in the MAAC tournament is no longer up for grabs after Iona clinched it as a result of the Saints’ loss Tuesday, a share of a third straight regular season crown is still in play, provided Siena wins each of its last four games while the Gaels lose all of their four remaining contests. It may seem improbable, but not impossible, and the latest learning experience has afforded a pragmatic and wizened outlook on the last remaining hurdles before the MAAC descends on Atlantic City in two weeks.

“This can help a lot,” a confident Stormo admitted. “We saw what happens when we come out flat, and we know what we have to do for the next four games and the tournament, but I like the optimism. I hope it helps us. We’ve got a night and then tomorrow to prepare. It’s a quick turnaround for us, but we’ve proven that we can do it, so we’ve got to move forward.”

“I think the magic number for us is 13,” Maciariello said with regard to conference wins. “We’re at 10 wins right now and we’ve got four games left, we got the Buffalo trip, we have a home game against Monmouth and we’re at Quinnipiac. We’ve got to get to that magic number 13 with some tough road games and only one being at home, but I think this group is a resilient group and I think their focus is strong. Hopefully we can make sure we’re getting our legs back.”