The basketball-watching world got a quick lesson in exactly who Siena basketball star Gavin Doty is during his team’s game against No. 1 Duke in the NCAA Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
Doty, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard and the MAAC Tournament MVP, showed he belonged among the very best players in the nation against the Blue Devils as his team took a No. 16 seed into the NCAA Tournament.
Here are some fast facts about Doty as the nation learns about the electric playmaker, who scored 21 points in a 71-65 loss to the Blue Devils, the top overall seed, in which Siena led for the majority of the game.
Breakout Season for Siena Saints in 2025-26
Doty lit it up all season for Siena in 2025-26, averaging 17.9 points per game to go with 7.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. That came after the Fulton, New York, native averaged 11.3 points per game as a freshman.
“I have all the right people around me,” Doty told Spectrum News’ Jackson Wang in January 2026. “I’m in a good position, and I’m going to work as hard as I can.”
Doty was named to the MAAC All-Freshman team in 2025 and was 1 of just 2 unanimous All-MAAC selections in 2026.
From the MAAC: “Doty earns his second All-MAAC honors, having been voted to the MAAC All-Rookie Team in 2025. The sophomore scored 17.5 points per game, grabbed 7.0 rebounds, dished out 2.3 assists, and accounted for 1.3 steals. He ranked third in scoring after making 543 points and was fourth in scoring average. On the glass in the MAAC, Doty was sixth in rebounds, fourth in defensive boards, and seventh in rebounds per game. He was first in the conference in field goals (190), second in field goal attempts (402), third in field goal percentage (47.3), free throws (126), and free throw attempts (150). Moreover, his six double-doubles were the fifth most in the league.”
Coached by NCAA Tournament Legend at Siena
While college basketball fans might just be learning about Doty because of his performance against Duke, they probably recognize Siena head coach Gerry McNamara.
McNamara was 1 of the stars for Syracuse alongside Basketball Hall of Famer Carmelo Anthony in 2003 as they won the 1st and only national championship in program history. His No. 3 jersey would eventually be retired by Syracuse.
McNamara was hired as Siena’s head coach in March 2024 and had a 37-19 record headed into the game against Duke.
After Syracuse head coach Adrian Autry was fired following the 2025-26 season, McNamara was forced to fend off questions about whether or not he will become Syracuse’s next head coach.
“Syracuse will conduct a national search but I’ve been told that the job is likely Gerry McNamara’s if he wants it,” ABC Philadelphia’s Jason Dumas wrote on X on March 11.
Gavin Doty 2-Sport Athlete Growing Up
Doty was actually a 2-sport athlete growing up in Fulton, New York, in hockey and basketball, and met McNamara for the 1st time at a Syracuse basketball camp when he was just 15 years old.
After McNamara took the job at Siena, 1 of the 1st things he did was offer a scholarship to Doty.
“I had some other visits lined up. I took this one as my first official visit, and right away I said, ‘this is where I want to be,’ ” Doty told Spectrum.
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