DETROIT, Mich. -- Christian Covile compiled a double-double worth 19 points and 11 rebounds as the Siena Heights men's basketball team opened its Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference schedule with an 85-73 victory over Marygrove on Saturday.
Covile was one of five SHU scorers in double-digits. Jerrell Martin had 15 points and six blocks while Lee Gardner III, Eric Cogan and Stone Beckwith put in 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively.
Trailing 6-4 early, the Saints scored eight straight points and led the rest of the way. Marygrove trimmed its deficit to one point on four different occasions before halftime, but SHU maintained its lead throughout the game.
A 3-pointer by Cogan gave the Saints their largest advantage, 64-47, with 8:29 to go. The host Mustangs eventually closed within eight points afterward, but that is as close as they would come.
As a team, Siena Heights shot 48.4 percent from the field (30 of 62), including 7 of 10 from 3-point range. The Saints were 18 of 24 from the free-throw line (75 percent).
For Marygrove (0-3, 0-1), Darryll Dixon led the way with 18 points and four steals. Diante Taylor had 16 points, Tyler Sykes contributed 11 points and seven rebounds, and Jujuan Armstrong accumulated a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Siena Heights (3-2, 1-0) will play its next contest on Monday when it visits Roosevelt for non-conference action at 8 p.m. EST (7 p.m. CST).