Siena a Possibility Again? Perhaps.

Cornell's Alex Tyler in action against Siena last season.

Is Siena now a possible opponent for Cornell on the 2009-2010 schedule? Maybe so. Cornell and Siena played each other the last two seasons and the programs dicussed renewing the series during the spring and summer. Talks eventually broke down when Siena insisted on Cornell visiting Albany this year (with Cornell hosting Siena in 2010-2011). Cornell wanted the reverse arrangement.



Specifically, Siena wanted one more home game against a mid major to finalize its home game schedule. Siena has now found its home game opponent, but has room for one more game-- either a home or away game.



Rivals.com reports that Mount St. Mary's agreed to visit Siena on January 2, 2010 thereby giving the Saints the home game they desired. The addition of The Mount gives the Saints a 30-game schedule. Siena will return the game next season. As for this year, Siena would like to add a 31st game against a high-profile opponent or "a nearby team."

"I'd probably say it's no better than 50-50, to be honest with you,"Siena Assistant Adam Chaskin said about the possibility of adding one more game. "I'm not making as many phone calls, but I'm making a few. I'm still checking the scheduling bulletin boards online to see if something new pops up."

"Creighton was willing to play us, but we couldn't find a date that worked," Chaskin told Rivals.com. "The same thing happened with Mississippi State. The gaps they had in their schedule were when we had finals."

Mount St. Mary's agreed to visit Siena becaue the NEC school had a long gap in its schedule and wanted to play a game on January 2. Siena had to get permission from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference to move the date of one of its league games to fit in Mount St. Mary's.

Siena's 2009-2010 schedule doesn't feature quite as much "star power" as the Saints' 2008-09 slate, which is a reason Chaskin wants one more game

Here's a look at Siena's list of 2009-2010 non-conference opponents. The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference doesn't announce its league schedule until mid-September.

Date Opponent

Nov. 13 at Tennessee State

Nov. 17 vs. Northeastern

Nov. 21 at Temple

Nov. 24 vs. Delaware

Nov. 27 St. John's at Philadelphia*

Nov. 28 TBA at Philadelphia*

Dec. 2 at Georgia Tech

Dec. 5 vs. Albany

Dec. 12 at Northern Iowa

Dec. 29 vs. Saint Joseph's

Jan. 2 vs. Mount St. Mary's

Feb. 20 at TBA Bracket Busters

Rivals.com notes that Mount St. Mary's and Northern Iowa likely will open the season as favorites to win their respective conferences, and Temple has reached the NCAA tournament in each of the past two seasons. But the Saints' only major-conference opponents are Georgia Tech and St. John's.

Chaskin is hoping a 31st game could be scheduled on Dec. 9 or Dec. 10, when the Saints have room on their schedule. Siena also has a potential opening on Dec. 14 or could face a nearby opponent Dec. 15, just before the Saints begin final exams.

"We're not necessarily shutting the door on a 31st game, but it would have to be a perfect situation for us," Chaskin said.

If Siena added Cornell, the Saints could get a third mid major conference preseason favorite. And it is common knowledge that the NCAA Tournament Seeding Committee looks not only at strength of schedule and RPI, but also a team's record against opponents in the NCAA Tournament field.

But could Cornell fit Siena into the Big Red's schedule? Probably yes, if Siena agrees to visit Cornell in Ithaca. While Cornell's classes end on December 5, the Big Red are hosting St. Joseph's in Newman Arena on December 6 during the "study period" for exams. And while exams do commence for Cornell on December 9, perhaps a home game with an evening tip-off against Siena could be squeezed in.

And with Siena's potential for reaching Top 25 status combined with Cornell's student body still present on campus, the environment at Newman Arena could be electric. Lets just call it a Newman Nation study break.

CORNELL's 2009-2010 ACADEMIC CALENDAR

• August 27, 2009-Instruction Begins 1st Semester
• November 25-30, 2009-Thanksgiving Recess
• December 5, 2009-Last Day of 1st Semester Classes
• December 9, 2009-Exams Begin
• December 18, 2009-Last Day of 1st Semester Exams
• January 25, 2010-Instruction Begins 2nd Semester
• March 20-29, 2o10-Spring Break

PROJECTED CORNELL BIG RED MEN'S BASKETBALL 2009-2010 SCHEDULE

• November 14, 2009-@Alabama (Cornell season opener)
  
  
• November 18, 2009-@UMass (Legends Classic)
  
  
• November 20, 2009- vs. Seton Hall
• November 24, 2009-@Syracuse
  
  
• November 27-29, 2009 (three consecutive subregional games in the Legends Classic in Philadelphia against Drexel (host), Vermont and Toledo. Order of games in Philadelphia TBA)
  
  
• December 2, 2009-@Bucknell
• December 6, 2009-vs. St. Joseph's
• December 20, 2009-vs. Davidson (@ Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival) (Televised MSG Network)
  
  
• December 21, 2009 vs. Hofstra or St. John's (@ Madison Square Garden Holiday Festival) (Televised MSG Network)
• December 29, 2009-@La Salle
• December 31, 2009-Opponent TBA
  
  
• January 2, 2010-vs. Bryant
  
  
• January 6, 2010-@ Kansas (Televised Jaykawk TV and ESPN Fullcourt Package)
• January 2010-@South Dakota (Specific Date TBA)
  
  
• January 11, 2010-Opponent TBA
  
  
• January 15, 2010-vs. Columbia
  
  
• January 22, 2010-@Columbia
  
  
• January 29, 2010-Dartmouth
• January 30, 2010-Harvard
• February 5, 2010-Yale
• February 6, 2010-Brown
• February 12, 2010-@Penn
• February 13, 2010-@Princeton
• February 19, 2010-@Harvard
• February 20, 2010-@Dartmouth
• February 26, 2010-Princeton
• February 27, 2010-Penn
• March 5, 2010-@Brown
• March 6, 2010-@Yale