LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. – Siena spun Colgate turnovers into just enough points to post a 71-63 victory over the Raiders here Tuesday night.
 
The host Saints forced Colgate into a season-high 26 miscues, highlighted by 18 steals. Those numbers resulted in a 23-11 Siena advantage in points-off-turnovers. And while Colgate outrebounded Siena 44-35, offensive rebounds were 15-15 and the Saints posted a 15-7 scoring edge in second-chance points.
                               
Chelsey Koren paced Colgate with a career-high 19 points thanks to an 11-of-12 performance at the free throw line. First-year Rachel Thompson added a season-high 17 points, aided by a 7-of-7 shooting touch at the charity stripe.
 
Colgate for the game was 22-of-27 at the line, improving its Patriot League-leading percentage to 79.5.
 
Jackie Benitez led Siena with 23 points and six steals.
 
Bottom Line
• Siena 71, Colgate 63
 
Won-Lost Records
• Colgate is now 1-4.
• Siena improved to 1-2.
 
Quick Recap
• There were nine lead changes in the opening quarter, which ended with Siena on top 17-16.
• Colgate opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by Kateri Stone's 3-pointer with 8:05 showing.
• But Siena held the Raiders scoreless for the next 5:22, and without a field goal until the final minute before halftime.
• Despite that, Colgate trailed just 30-28 at intermission.
• It was 6-0 Siena to start the second half, but Koren's personal 7-0 run pulled the Raiders back to within 36-35.
• The end of the third and start of the fourth were where the game was decided.
• The Raiders gave up two offensive rebounds and Siena cashed them in for a 3-pointer by Benitez to lead 48-42 heading to the fourth.
• Four straight turnovers to start the final quarter helped Siena extend a 13-0 run that was halted when Tori Pozsonyi converted a layup with 6:08 remaining. The 56-44 edge was Siena's largest of the game.
• Colgate stayed within shouting distance at the free throw line – the Raiders scored 13 straight points there over a late 3:45 stretch – but could draw no closer than 68-63 in the final half-minute.
 
Facts & Figures
• All of the shooting percentages favored Colgate, but this was a case of too many possessions.
• The Saints attempted 12 more field goals and seven more free throws despite being outrebounded by nine.
• Eighteen Siena steals were the recipe for a season-high 26 Colgate turnovers.
• The Saints outscored Colgate by 1 point in the first quarter, 1 in the second, 4 in the third and by 2 in the fourth.
• For the fifth time in five games, a different Colgate player led the team in scoring.
• This time it was Koren with 19. The rest of the scoring column had Thompson with 17, Greer 7, Chandler 5, Curtis 4, Pozsonyi 3, Stone 3, Graham 2, Barcello 2 and Poland 1.
• Koren's previous scoring high was 12 last year at Boston University. Curtis' previous rebounding high was eight on two occasions.
• Thompson scored in double figures for the fourth time in five games to lead the Raiders. She's also tops with a 12.6 scoring average.
• Hard-luck stat: Colgate leads the Patriot League in free throw shooting at 79.5 percent, but Raider opponents are shooting 80.0.
 
From the Sources
• Colgate head coach Bill Cleary: (On the game) "There were a lot of unforced turnovers on our part, and the disappointing thing is it was the same mistake. But with such an inexperienced team in what we do, we have 13 freshmen. They're learning the system and learning the offensive and defensive scheme.
 
"We just have to get better at it – and we will. No question."
 
Listen to the rest of Coach Cleary's comments HERE.
 
Gate Grab Bag
• Attendance at the Alumni Recreation Center was 423.
 
Up Next
• Colgate is back in action Sunday at Columbia.
• The Lions are 2-2 after a narrow 55-53 loss Tuesday night at Stony Brook.
• Colgate defeated Columbia 72-44 in Hamilton back in 2013 to even the series at 4-4.
• Tipoff is 2 p.m.