NCAA BASKETBALL: Siena edged by Milwaukee in final second

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Reserve Aaron Franklin scored his only points of the game on a fourth attempt put back with just two-tenths of a second to go as Milwaukee edged Siena Basketball 61-59 in the third-place game at the Sunshine Slam.

Franklin bookended the final sequence with two decisive plays, beginning with stealing the inbounds on the final Siena (1-4) possession of circumstance with 22 seconds to go. Milwaukee (3-3) got four looks at the win thanks to three offensive rebounds, with Franklin making good for the decisive basket. Leading into the final possession, the Saints had out-rebounded the Panthers 27-12 to that point in the second half.

Freshman Michael Evbagharu achieved his first collegiate double-double for shorthanded Siena, which was once again without its top-two scorers in reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year and Preseason Second Team All-MAAC selection Michael Eley (ankle) and point guard Zek Tekin (concussion protocol). Evbagharu led all players in scoring (18), rebounding (14), assists (five), and blocks (three) in a stellar all-around effort, while classmate Bralyn Smith also set a season benchmark with 15 points.

Preseason First Team All-Horizon League selection BJ Freeman scored 18 points to lead Milwaukee, which is picked to finish second in the Horizon League following a 22-win campaign last season. Markeith Browning added 13 points for the Panthers who shot 11-15 from the free-throw line. Conversely, the Saints were a mere 6-15 at the charity stripe in a two-point final.

The teams battled to a whopping 26 lead changes and nine ties, with neither side ever leading by any more than five points. Milwaukee scored the first five points of the evening with Siena responding with the following six, and it was neck-and-neck from there.

The Saints went on a 7-2 spurt to end the half, holding the Panthers scoreless for the final 2:47 to claim a 25-20 lead at the break. Siena held Milwaukee to just 26% shooting (8-31) including only 4-17 from three in the opening half.

The Panthers scored the first 10 points in the opening 2:26 of the second half but, following the initial flurry, the Saints settled back in. Siena took its final lead at 53-51 on a Smith three with 4:47 remaining.

Following a mini 8-3 Milwaukee run down the stretch, Evbagharu completed a second chance old-fashioned three-point play to pull the Saints even one final time at 59-all with 67 seconds remaining. Siena, which out-rebounded the Panthers 46-31 overall, pulled down 15 of their 18 offensive rebounds during the second half, fueling a 15-4 advantage in second-chance points in the stanza.

Giovanni Emejuru, who averaged 14 points on 75% shooting (12-16) to go along with 7.5 rebounds over the two games in Florida, was named to the Sunshine Slam Ocean Bracket All-Tournament Team. Freeman represented Milwaukee on the squad.

The Saints return to the Capital Region to host crosstown rival UAlbany in the Albany Cup on Sunday at 5 p.m. at MVP Arena.