ALBANY, N.Y. -- Siena used a dominant effort from seniors Marquis Wright and Brett Bisping to win its season opener, topping Cornell 89-78 on Sunday afternoon at the Times Union Center. The Big Red slipped to 0-2 on the season.

Wright (31 points, five rebounds, five assists) and Bisping (23 points, 15 rebounds) made sure the Saints wouldn't repeat last season's fate against the Big Red after surrendering a 14-point second half lead. This time, the Big Red got back within three in the second half before the Saints were able to close the game out.

Sophomore Stone Gettings had a career-high 16 points and senior Robert Hatter had a tremendous floor game with 12 points, a career-high 10 rebounds and four assists. Matt Morgan tied a team-best with 16 points and ripped down eight boards and both JoJo Fallas and Josh Warren had 10 points to round out five double figure scorers. Warren added six rebounds in his second collegiate game. The Big Red played without senior center David Onuorah who didn't make the trip due to illness.

Trailing by 14 at the break (48-34), Cornell charged back to within three points on the last of three Morgan treys over a four minute span to get within 67-64 with 7:30 remaining. The Saints immediately got those points back when Wright found Evan Fisher for a 3-pointer, and the Big Red never got within four the rest of the way.

The Big Red was crisper throughout the contest than in its opener at Binghamton on Friday, shooting 45 percent from the floor and connecting on -of-19 3-pointers. It outrebounded a bigger Saints squad 41-38, including 14-13 on the offensive glass. Cornell also held Siena to 42 percent shooting overall.

Cornell was able to hold its own on the backboards early in the contest to stay in the game, taking a six-point lead midway through the first half. Siena began to assert itself, first on the offensive glass, later in turning Big Red turnovers to points. With three Saints in double figures by halftime and a 12-1 edge in scoring off turnovers, Siena flipped the script in the final 10 minutes of the half. Wright had 15 points, Clareth had 13 off the bench and Bisping nearly had a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds. 

Fallas, Gettings and Hatter each had seven points in the first half with Hatter adding five rebounds. Both Morgan and Warren had four boards in the first 20 minutes of action. In all, Cornell shot 44 percent from the floor and held the Saints to 42 percent from the field.

Notes to Know
• Sophomore Stone Gettings (16 points), freshman Josh Warren (10 points) and sophomore Donovan Wright (seven points) each recorded career highs in scoring, while senior Robert Hatter (10 rebounds) and sophomore Matt Morgan (eight rebounds) each set career bests in rebounding.
• Hatter's double-double was the second of his career and the first that included rebounds.
• Cornell held a 41-38 edge on the glass and outscored the Saints in the paint 42-28.
• The loss snapped a two-game win streak for Cornell against Siena and gives the Saints a 4-3 lead in the all-time series.
• Gettings, Hatter and Wright all fouled out for the Big Red, while Wil Bathurst was saddled with four fouls.
• The loss extended Cornell's road losing skid to six games.

Next Up
• The Big Red will make its home debut against Colgate on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in Newman Arena.
• Cornell knocked off Colgate 101-98 in double overtime as Robert Hatter netted 33 in the win.