Five Things to Know About Siena Before Duke’s NCAA Tournament Opener

The Duke Blue Devils are the ACC Tournament Champions for the second straight season after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers 74-70 in the title game.

In four seasons as head coach, Jon Scheyer has won three of the last four ACC Tournament Championships and has led Duke to the championship game every season.

Examining the box score, some might assume that he had another dominant performance, similar to his outing against Virginia earlier this season. While Cameron Boozer helped lead Duke to victory, it was his brother Cayden Boozer who delivered the best performance of his freshman season in the biggest game of his career.

Cayden Boozer scored a career high 16 points on 6 of 12 shooting from the field and played all 40 minutes. He also recorded four assists and five rebounds while helping control the pace of the game.

Now Duke turns its attention to the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils earned the No. 1 overall seed and will face the No. 16 seed Siena, champions of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

The game will take place on March 19 in Greenville, SC. Here are five things Duke fans should know about the Siena program.

Siena Was a Struggling Program Not Long Ago

Just two seasons ago, Siena was one of the worst teams in Division I basketball. The Saints finished the season with a 4-28 record under former head coach Carmen Maciariello.

The program then hired Gerry McNamara, a former Syracuse Orange assistant, as head coach. McNamara led the Saints to a 14-18 record in his first season, but the program showed clear signs of improvement. This season, many of those returning players developed into key contributors and helped Siena capture the conference tournament title.

Siena Is an Efficient Shooting Team

The Saints have been one of the most efficient shooting teams in their conference. Siena shoots 45.7 percent from the field, the best mark in the MAAC.

The team’s top three scorers, Gavin Doty, Justice Shoats, and Francis Folefac, all shoot above 45 percent from the field. Folefac leads the group with an impressive 51 percent shooting percentage.

Two other players who have missed time this season, Antonio Chandler and Riley Mulvey, both shoot better than 60 percent from the field.

Siena Has One of the Best Defenses in the MAAC

Defense has also been a major improvement for Siena this season.

Last year, the Saints allowed their opponents to score an average of 72 points per game. This season, that number has dropped to 65.7 points per game. Opponents are also shooting just 42 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range against Siena.

Those improvements helped the Saints finish with the second best defense in the conference.

Three Point Shooting Has Been a Weakness

While Siena shoots well overall, three point shooting has been one of the team’s biggest weaknesses.

The Saints shoot only 30 percent from three point range, which ranks near the bottom of the conference. Siena averages just five made three pointers per game on about 17 attempts.

Dec 22, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Siena Saints forward Isaiah Henderson (1) loses the ball against Indiana Hoosiers forward Tucker Devries (12) during the second half at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

Shoats is the only player on the roster who shoots better than 34 percent from three point range.

Gavin Doty Is One of the MAAC’s Top Scorers

Doty has taken a major step forward from his freshman season.

After averaging 11 points per game as a freshman, Doty now averages 17.9 points per game, which ranks second in the conference. He shoots 46 percent from the field and 33 percent from three-point range.

Nov 26, 2024; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Siena Saints guard Gavin Doty (14) controls the ball against the Jacksonville Dolphins in the first half at Suncoast Credit Union Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Doty can score in multiple ways, whether attacking the basket off the dribble or knocking down catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Duke enters the NCAA tournament as the No. 1 overall seed and one of the favorites to win the National Championship. While Siena has improved significantly and arrives with confidence after winning the MAAC tournament, the Blue Devils will rely on their talent and depth to control the matchup.

Mar 14, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer cuts down the net after defeating the Virginia Cavaliers in the men's ACC Conference Tournament Championship at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

If Duke can limit Siena’s efficient scoring and prevent Doty from taking over offensively, the Blue Devils should be well-positioned to advance to the next round.