Siena basketball focused on less talking, better start against Marist

The first meeting featured a battle of words between two freshmen, Siena's Jared Billups and Marist's Jao Ituka, who know each other from growing up in Maryland. Billups said before the game, " "I don't think they're really cohesive as a team. Just a lot of players that want to score the ball."

The Marist coaches showed that quote to their players, and Ituka said afterward it served as motivation. He also promised a victory in the rematch with Siena.