The Siena men’s basketball team enters its official home opener against Princeton with a unique advantage: they have already played in the building. The Saints, currently 0-1 following an 80-75 loss at Bryant, face the Tigers at 1 p.m. Sunday in MVP Arena, a venue that hosted their 81-76 exhibition loss to Syracuse on Oct. 18. This prior exposure allows the squad to acclimate to the arena’s acoustics and shooting dynamics, a tactical benefit that could prove decisive in their first true home contest of the season.
Saints aim to convert exhibition nerves into regular-season confidence at MVP Arena
Graduate guard Brendan Coyle emphasized the psychological value of the exhibition, noting that playing in front of a crowd of 8,604 fans helped eliminate the initial jitters associated with a new venue. “I think when you get to play a game that doesn’t necessarily count in the wins and loss column, when you get to do that at home in front of a large crowd, I think it gets a lot of the nerves of playing at the arena for the first time and get your first shots at the arena, out of the way,” Coyle stated. By treating the Syracuse matchup as a dress rehearsal, the Saints aim to ensure that every player is mentally prepared and physically loose for the regular-season start.
The atmosphere in MVP Arena remains electric, underscored by the 2026 NCAA Tournament banner now hanging from the ceiling. The team unfurled this banner and collected their Metro Conference championship rings during a pregame ceremony on Oct. 18, an event attended by Syracuse coach Gerry McNamara and former Orange players. With the stakes now elevated for the Princeton matchup, Siena must translate the comfort of the exhibition into tangible on-court execution to secure their first home victory of the year.
Source: Yahoo Sports
