Siena Saints

Clareth, Siena beat Monmouth, advance to MAAC title game (Mar 05, 2017)

Published Mar. 6, 2017 12:09 a.m. ET

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) Nico Clareth scored all of his 27 points, including a career-high tying seven 3-pointers, in the second half as Siena rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat top-seeded Monmouth 89-85 on Sunday night in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

Javion Ogunyemi added 21 points, Marquis Wright scored 20 with eight assists and Brett Bisping had 13 points for No. 4 seed Siena (17-16). The Saints will play third-seeded Iona in the finals on Monday.

Monmouth closed the first half on a 20-7 run to take a 39-24 lead into the break and opened a 17-point lead when Collin Stewart made a layup with 17:49 to play. Clareth hit five 3s in the next five minutes and a conventional 3-point play by Ogunyemi trimmed Siena's deficit to 55-54 with 11:27 to go. Another 3 by Clareth and then a layup by Wright gave the Saints a one-point lead, their first since 8-6, with 6:38 left and the lead changed seven times before Bisping hit two free throws to give Siena the lead, 76-75, for good with 4:30 remaining.

The Saints made 3 of 5 shots and hit 7 of 8 free throws from there to hold on.

Justin Robinson led five Monmouth (27-6) players in double figures with 22 points. The Hawks, who beat Siena in both regular-season matchups this season, had their 17-game win streak snapped.

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