BURLINGTON, Vt. – Shooting over 47 percent for the game and scoring 45 points in the second half, the Siena Saints defeated the Oakland Golden Grizzlies, 78-71, in a TD Bank Classic semifinal on Saturday, November 26 at the Patrick Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Vermont.

Oakland is now 2-3 this season, while Siena improves to 3-3.

Knocking down 10 of her 11 free throw attempts, freshman point guard Brooke Daniels scored a career-high 18 points for the Golden Grizzlies, tying her with junior forward Alexis Johnson for the team lead.

Playing a career-high 28 minutes, Daniels also dished out three assists and set a new personal best with seven rebounds.

Sophomore Valencia Fontenelle-Posson tallied a game-high 19 points for the Saints, with classmates Anajah Brown and Emina Selimovic and junior Ahniysha Jackson joining her in double figures.

Oakland held a five-point lead after 20 minutes of play, 38-33, but a third quarter that was 10 points in Siena's favor tilted the contest the Saints' way and they were able to keep just enough distance between themselves and the Golden Grizzlies throughout the fourth.

Finishing just 5-25 (20 percent) from 3-point range, Oakland shot 32.3 percent (21-65) for the game, while Siena was 26-55 (47.3 percent) and 40 percent (6-15) from behind the arc.

The Golden Grizzlies shot 45.2 percent in the first half, but went cold in the second, knocking down just 20.6 percent of their attempts in the latter 20 minutes.

On the bright side, Oakland did have their second consecutive strong game at the free throw line, hitting 24 of 29 attempts (82.8 percent).

The Saints outrebounded the Golden Grizzlies, 45-36, with both teams recording 12 offensive boards. Siena had 12 assists and Oakland registered nine.

UP NEXT
Completing their run at this MTE (multi-team event), the Golden Grizzlies will face the Stonehill Skyhawks in the TD Bank Classic third-place game on Sunday, November 27 at 12 p.m.

Stonehill fell to the host Catamounts in the tournament's first game, 70-48, prior to Oakland's Saturday action.

Vermont and Siena will play for the TD Bank Classic Championship at 3 p.m. Sunday.

New to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I ranks in 2022-23, the Easton, Massachusetts-based Skyhawks are a member of the Northeast Conference (NEC). They will enter play Sunday with a 1-5 record, defeating the Hartford Hawks for their lone victory on November 21.