WASHINGTON – American University men's basketball (8-3) fell to Siena (7-5, 1-0 MAAC) Thursday afternoon in Bender Arena, dropping its first game since Nov. 13 at George Mason. Led by juniors
Matt Rogers and
Johnny O'Neil, the Eagles couldn't overcome a first half deficit as they fell for just the third time this season.
QUICK NOTABLES
- Graduate student Connor Nelson made his season debut on Thursday.
- Rogers led American with 14 points while O'Neil was also in double figures with 13.
- O'Neil tied his career-high assists with four. He also led the team in assists in the game.
- Rogers has now recorded double figures points in the Eagles last six games.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Siena got out a slow 4-0 lead before O'Neil put in three-pointer for American's first points of the game, putting the score at 4-3, Siena.
- The Saints continued to hold the lead throughout the first half, with the Eagles once again pulling within one, 14-13, with 9:05 left on the clock.
- Siena then jumped out to a 12-point lead with 4:25 left to play and held the lead to head into halftime up by nine.
- The two sides traded baskets to start the second half until an extra point from Rogers, a layup by sophomore Elijah Stephens, and a jumper from senior Jaxon Knotek pulled American within four, 34-30.
- The two sides went back and forth until 13:34 left to play in the half, Rogers cut the Eagles deficit to three.
- A few minutes later, two extra shots from Rogers gave American its first lead of the game, 46-45.
- The Eagles and Saints took turns holding the lead until the game was tied 50-50 with 6:56 left to play.
- Siena pushed out the lead to five with five minutes left to play in the half before two extra shots from Knotek put the deficit back to three, 55-52.
- The visitors continued to maintain control of the game, not letting American pull within five.
- Junior Lincoln Ball pulled down a rebound off a missed shot from freshman Geoff Sprouse, and turned around to put the ball in for a layup to put American within three but Siena hung on to head home with the win and snap the Eagles' win streak.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Eagles shot 51.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from beyond the arc and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe.
- American outscored Siena in the second half, 38-32.
- O'Neil, Rogers, and Ball all led the team in rebounds with four each.
- Rogers scored 12 of his 14 points in the second half, going 4-for-5 from the field and 4-for-6 from the free throw line.
UP NEXT
- American will travel to Easton, Pa. on Friday, Dec. 30 to open Patriot League play at Lafayette. The game is set for a 7 p.m. start.
- The Eagles will then return to Bender Arena on Monday, Jan. 2 to open their home Patriot League slate against Loyola Md. at 2 p.m.
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