Siena Men’s Basketball gave the Capital Region a season to remember.
From a championship run in the 2026 MAAC Tournament to a nationally watched NCAA Tournament matchup against Duke, the Siena Saints became one of the most talked-about college basketball stories of March. Their season was about more than wins and losses. It was about perseverance, belief, and a team refusing to back down when the pressure was on.
Back on the National Stage: Siena Basketball’s MAAC Championship Run
The Siena Saints entered the 2026 MAAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed and finished it as champions.
With a 64–54 win over top-seeded Merrimack, Siena secured its seventh MAAC title and first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2010. It was a defining moment for a program that has continued to build, compete, and push forward.
The championship game reflected what made this team so effective all season. They played with grit, discipline, and executed when it mattered most. Gavin Doty led the way with a game-high 23 points and was named the 2026 MAAC Championship MVP, helping power Siena to one of the biggest accomplishments in recent program history.
The Saints Go Marching: Siena vs. Duke
Siena’s March Madness run may have ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but the Saints made a statement on one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
Matched up against No. 1 overall seed Duke Blue Devils men's basketball, the Saints pushed one of the best teams in the country to the brink. They led for more than 28 minutes and by as many as 13 points, coming within reach of one of the biggest upsets in tournament history.
While the final score was 71–65, Siena was in control for a large portion of the game.
What made it even more impressive was how they did it. Siena relied on a short rotation all season, and in the NCAA Tournament, their starting five played nearly the entire game. Even as fatigue set in late, they stayed in it until the final minutes.
For a team making its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 16 years, it’s the kind of performance that sticks.
Gavin Doty and A Team That Never Gave Up
Every memorable season has players who help define it, and Gavin Doty was a major part of Siena’s run in 2026.
Doty played a key role throughout the MAAC Championship run and carried that momentum into the NCAA Tournament. Along the way, he battled through physical play and moments where it looked like he might be slowed down, but continued to rise.
His consistency and resilience helped set the tone for a group that never drifted from its identity, even in the biggest moments. That mindset is what made this team stand out.
Siena’s Season Energized the Entire Community
The impact of Siena Basketball’s season extended far beyond the court.
The team’s NCAA Tournament appearance brought renewed energy to campus and the broader Siena community. Students packed watch parties. Alumni rallied behind the program. National attention created momentum across social media, campus engagement, and university visibility.
That’s what sports do at their best. They bring people together, and this season gave the Siena community something real to rally around.
A Crown-Claiming Season
The 2026 Siena Basketball season will be remembered for a championship, a return to March Madness, and a near-upset that captured national attention.
But more than that, it will be remembered for how it happened.
The Saints fought their way to a MAAC Championship. They returned to March Madness for the first time in 16 years. They went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country and never backed down.
From our perspective, it has been special to watch up close, following the program, working alongside the team, and seeing that growth over time.
For everyone who followed along, it was a reminder of what can happen when a team commits to that mindset and sees it through.
