MAAC Championship: Siena vs Merrimack Preview, Odds, Predictions (March 10)

• The Saints haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 2010.
• The Warriors look to make their first NCAA Tournament at the Division I level.
• This marks the 16th all-time matchup between the two MAAC squads.

The MAAC Tournament will come to an end during the March 10 slate, seeing the Siena Saints take on the Merrimack Warriors. The latter stands out as the slight favorite, presenting the stakes that will be present in this historic matchup.

How to Watch

• When: Tuesday, March 10, 9 pm ET
• Where: Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey
• How to Watch: ESPN2

NCAA Matchup Odds & Lines

Game Preview

The Saints (22-11, 13-7 MAAC) have done a solid job throughout conference play, securing the third seed behind Saint Peter’s and Merrimack. They got an automatic bye to the quarterfinals, taking down Mount St. Mary’s and Fairfield to reach the championship game. Gavin Doty stands out as the top scorer with averages of 17.7 points and seven rebounds per game. On another note, Brendan Coyle shines as a volume perimeter shooter with 8.5 points per contest while making 65 3-pointers on a 29.4% clip.

The Warriors (23-10, 17-3 MAAC) won the regular-season title in convincing fashion, getting a smooth bye to the quarterfinals. They took down Sacred Heart and Marist to clinch their place in the championship game. Kevair Kennedy was named the conference’s Player of the Week twice and Rookie of the Week seven times. Kennedy leads the league in scoring at 18.5 ppg and averaged a league-best 20.7 ppg in conference games. Meanwhile, Ernest Shelton is second on the team and 5th in the MAAC in scoring at 15.9 points per game.

Siena vs Merrimack Head-to-Head

The two programs have had 15 meetings in their history, and the result is 8-7 for the Warriors. The last matchup was in February this year when Merrimack won 79-72 at home.

Siena vs Merrimack Predictions

Both teams have big ambitions to punch their ticket and go dancing in March Madness. Siena hasn’t been to that stage since 2010, while Merrimack seeks its first berth since completing the transition to DI basketball. The Saints will make a strong effort to keep the game close, but the Warriors might have destiny on their side as long as Kevair Kennedy comes through with a big performance in the championship round. Our betting pick here is the Warriors to defend a 1.5-point spread.

• Free NCAAB pick: Merrimack Warriors -1.5