Iona Gaels Look to Avenge Earlier Loss Against Siena Saints ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — The Iona Gaels visit the Siena Saints in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference women’s basketball matchup Thursday night at Times Union Center. Iona (16-10) enters with momentum, having won three of its last four games, including a 72-55 victory over Niagara on Saturday. The Gaels will seek to avenge a 94-80 home loss to Siena on Jan. 3. The Gaels are led by forward Isabellah Middleton, who is coming off a dominant 20-point, 10-rebound double-double against Niagara. Over her last five games, Middleton is averaging 15.8 points and 8.2 rebounds, providing consistent production in the frontcourt. Siena (11-14) has struggled recently, dropping its last two contests by an average of 20.5 points. The Saints fell 79-60 at Merrimack on Saturday despite a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds) from forward Kaiya Rain Tucker. Tucker has been a bright spot for Siena, showcasing versatility. She recorded 23 points and eight rebounds in a win over Manhattan on Feb. 8 and posted a 13-rebound, four-assist, three-block performance against Canisius on Jan. 31. Iona’s recent success has been built on defense, holding opponents to 55 points or fewer in three of its last four wins. Siena’s offense, which scored 91 points in its Feb. 8 win, will need to rediscover that form against the Gaels’ tightening defense. The game is a key MAAC contest as both teams position themselves for the conference tournament next month. Iona sits five games above .500 overall, while Siena looks to halt its skid and get back to .500 in league play. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. Iona travels to Saint Peter’s on Saturday, while Siena hosts Fairfield.