This was head coach Rob Lanier's first season at Siena.

The Saints competed in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and played their home games at Pepsi Arena in Albany, New York.

Sitting with a 12–18 record, but buoyed by the advantage of playing on their home court, the team won four games in four days to capture the 2002 MAAC men's basketball tournament and earn the conference's automatic bid to the 2002 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

Siena won the play-in game over Alcorn State[2] before being defeated by No.

1 seed and eventual National champion Maryland in the opening round.