ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — Gavin Doty scored 24 points to lead Siena to an 85-77 men’s basketball victory over Fairfield on Monday afternoon at Times Union Center. The Saints improved to 13-7 overall after holding off a second-half push from the Stags. Siena led 41-32 at halftime. Fairfield, now 11-9, was led by Brandon Benjamin’s 20 points and six rebounds. Braden Sparks added 18 points for the Stags. Doty added six rebounds and three assists for Siena. Justice Shoats contributed 21 points and five assists, while Brendan Coyle had 19 points. The game was played before an announced crowd of 6,385. Siena next hosts Marist on Thursday. Fairfield returns home to face Niagara that same night.

ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — A pivotal Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference matchup awaits Monday afternoon as the Siena Saints host the Fairfield Stags at Times Union Center. Both teams enter with winning records and look to build momentum in the heart of the league schedule. The Saints (12-7) return home after a decisive 74-59 road victory at Manhattan on Saturday. They will rely on forward Francis Folefac, who has been a consistent scoring threat. Folefac is averaging 17.2 points over his last five games, including an 18-point performance in a loss to Sacred Heart last Wednesday. The visiting Stags (11-8) aim to bounce back from a disappointing 82-67 loss at Marist this past Saturday. Fairfield’s fortunes often follow the play of guard Braden Sparks, who scored 16 points in the Marist defeat. Sparks has shown high-level scoring ability, dropping 23 points in a win at Niagara and 26 in just 20 minutes against CCNY last month. Siena holds a narrow edge in the overall season record, but both teams have experienced similar conference struggles, with each suffering recent home losses. The Saints fell to Merrimack and Sacred Heart in Albany earlier this month, while the Stags dropped a home game to Saint Peter’s in late December. The game will be the first of two regular-season meetings between the rivals, with the rematch scheduled for Feb. 27 in Fairfield. Monday’s contest offers an early opportunity for either team to gain a critical upper hand in the MAAC standings. Following this game, Siena will prepare to host Marist on Thursday. Fairfield’s next contest is also on Thursday, when they return home to face Niagara. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. Monday at Times Union Center.