Game 12: Northeastern (3-8) vs. Siena (2-8)
When	Wednesday, Dec. 28  |  2 p.m.
Where	Boston, Mass.  |  Cabot Center
Broadcast and stats	Stats  |  Video
Game Notes	Northeastern (PDF)
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BOSTON – Rounding out the 2016 calendar year with its final non-conference game of the season, the Northeastern women's basketball team will entertain Siena on Wednesday, Dec. 28, at 2 p.m. in front of the hometown fans at Cabot Center. The Huskies enter the midweek tilt in search of claiming back-to-back victories for the first time since Nov. 13.
 
ALL-TIME AGAINST SIENA
 
Northeastern's 70-67 road victory against Siena last season (Nov. 15, 2015) was the Huskies' third in the all-time series, which currently stands at 4-3 in favor of the Saints. Prior to their 2015 meeting, the two sides had not met since Dec. 10, 1991, when the Huskies dropped its fourth in a row to Siena by an 85-69 score line. NU is 1-2 when hosting Siena at Cabot Center, with its lone win coming on Jan. 6, 1988 (W, 68-64).
 
SCOUTING SIENA
 
• Siena enters Wednesday afternoon's game against Northeastern with a 2-8 (1-1 MAAC) record. The Saints' two victories have come against non-conference, regional foe Colgate (W, 71-63) and against MAAC challenger Fairfield (W, 67-52).
• Siena is 0-5 in true road games this season, but have lost two games by fewer than five-point margins, including an 88-86, overtime defeat against Albany.
• Considering common opponents, the Saints are 0-2 against Quinnipiac (L, 47-73) and New Hampshire (L, 67-77). Despite also being winless against these two teams, Northeastern has fared better than Siena in both games, earning respective scores of 76-59 and 66-63 (overtime) against the Bobcats and the Wildcats.
• Last season, the Saints earned the No. 7 seed in the MAAC tournament courtesy of a 14-18 (10-10 MAAC) record. Siena defeated No. 10 Rider in overtime, 79-76, before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by No. 2 Iona, 64-47.
• Jackie Benitez paces Siena in scoring with 17.0 points per game (second most in the MAAC), while Meghan Donohue (14.5 points per game) and Kollyns Scarbrough (10.0) are also averaging in double-figures offensively. As a team, Siena's ranks fourth in the MAAC in scoring offense (63.7), but ninth in scoring defense (72.8), landing the squad eighth in scoring margin despite shooting among the top five teams in the league from the field (38.7 percent).
 
LAST MEETING
 
Balanced scoring and steady rebounding were the names of the game for Northeastern when the Huskies visited Siena in Loudonville, New York, on Nov. 15, 2015. Six NU players combined to produce the Huskies' 70 points, with each scoring at least eight points, while five players finished with six rebounds or more. Claudia Ortiz led Northeastern with 19 points and six rebounds, while Gabby Giacone, a native of nearby Delmar, New York, chipped in 11 points off the bench and hauled in six boards as well.
 
Ortiz's third 3-pointer of the afternoon tied the game at 62-62 with 2:35 remaining in the fourth quarter, the possession before then-senior Samantha DeFreese put the Huskies ahead for good with a clutch shot in the paint. Siena nearly erased Northeastern's 70-64 lead with eight seconds left in regulation upon Jackie Benitez hitting a 3-pointer with five seconds to go and the Saints stealing the NU inbound pass with three ticks remaining. However, Denisha Petty-Evans' shot at the buzzer was unsuccessful as Northeastern celebrated its first 2-0 start in 31 seasons.
 
SALLY'S HAPPY HOMECOMING
 
Denver's own Francesca Sally enjoyed a happy homecoming on Dec. 20, when she and the Huskies visited the Denver Pioneers at Magness Arena. Sally led Northeastern in scoring (23 points) for the fourth time this season and in rebounds (11) for the seventh time – the third game this year in which she has led both statistical categories for the Huskies. The NU senior center also remained perfect at eight-for-eight from the free-throw line, knocking down six during the fourth quarter, including two with one second left in regulation. Sally also tied a career high performance in blocks, rejecting three Denver shots.
 
ON THE DEFENSIVE GLASS
 
Northeastern heads into Wednesday's clash against Siena ranked third among CAA teams in defensive rebounding percentage (69.6 percent), trailing Delaware (70.6) and Hofstra (70.3). Last season, NU finished the year also ranked third in this category, despite attaining a slightly lower percentage, 67.5.

GIACONE ON A TEAR

Sophomore forward Gabby Giacone enters Wednesday's game against Siena coming off her third 18-point outing of the season, once again tying her career high. Giacone's six-of-12 shooting clip on Dec. 20 against Denver was comparatively her weakest shooting mark of bunch, given that she shot nine-of-14 against Canisius on Nov. 13 and nine-of-15 on Dec. 7 against Maine.
 
After achieving four double-doubles during her freshman season, she sported the fifth of her career on Dec. 1 against New Hampshire, coming through with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Giacone's on-court playing time increased to 35 minutes during each of the Huskies' games against New Hampshire and Maine. Two of her three 18-point scoring games have also come when Northeastern has played on ESPN3.

GENCO REACHES 400 POINTS AT MSU

Sophomore point guard Jess Genco notched her 400th career point during her 41st career game on Huntington Avenue, surpassing the milestone during the closing seconds of the third quarter of the Huskies' Dec. 18 game at Michigan State. Considering Northeastern's corps of freshmen from the 2015-16 season, Genco leads all four in scoring.

UP NEXT

Northeastern will head into the new year and immediately begin conference play on Monday, Jan. 2, when the Huskies visit Hofstra for a 2016 CAA quarterfinal rematch. Tipoff between the two sides is set for 2 p.m. in Hempstead, New York.