Justice Shoats electrified the court with a 31-point performance, leading the Siena Saints to a decisive 94-60 victory over Niagara in Friday night’s Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) showdown. The Saints’ explosive offense and lockdown defense showcased their potential as conference tournament contenders.
Shoats didn’t just dominate scoring – he dished seven assists, cementing his role as Siena’s dual-threat playmaker. Tajae Jones added 16 points and seven rebounds, while Gavin Doty’s flawless free-throw shooting (6/6) contributed to the Saints’ 55% team field goal accuracy. Siena’s relentless pace left Niagara struggling to keep up, as the Purple Eagles shot just 38% from the field.
Key factors in Siena’s win:
- 48-28 advantage in points in the paint
- 22 points off Niagara turnovers
- 62% shooting accuracy in the second half
Niagara’s Jhaylon Martinez managed 10 points and six rebounds, but the Purple Eagles’ offense sputtered without a single double-digit scorer beyond Martinez. The loss drops Niagara to 5-10 in MAAC play, while Siena improves to .500 in conference standings.
With this win, the Saints (13-14, 8-8 MAAC) position themselves for a critical Sunday matchup against Canisius. Niagara (10-16, 5-10) faces an uphill battle as they travel to face Marist, needing wins to avoid the conference tournament play-in round.