Scoutin' the Stags - Jan. 14

Last Time Out:
When we last saw the Fairfield Men's Basketball team, the shooters went cold and allowed Marist's perimeter game to get hot. The end result: a 77-70 loss to the Red Foxes in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. Jay Gavin led the way for Marist with 23 points. As a team, Marist shot 48.2 percent from the field for the game. The tough blow came only two days after dropping a game to Loyola (Md.) at Harbor Yard, 67-63.

The Week Ahead:

• Neither the Men or the Women play in any games at the outset of the week. However, both teams return to action on Friday night, January 18th.
• Jon Han and the Men's Basketball team look to get back on track and improve their MAAC record in New Rochelle on Friday, as they take on the Iona Gaels. Tip is scheduled for 7:30pm.
  
• The Stags swept the Gaels last season, including a thrilling overtime victory at the Arena at Harbor Yard last January. Mamadou Diakhate drained a three with only a few seconds remaining in regulation.
  
• The Women's team plays a pair of games over the weekend, beginning with a Friday night showdown against Rider. On Sunday, the Stags will look to extend their MAAC rebound against Loyola (Md.).
  

MAAC Game of the Week
Loyola (Md.) did not start the season strong, but played the Stags tough last Friday night and seemed poised to have a break-out week in MAAC play. That vital stretch begins on Thursday evening in a showdown with Marist, another team that gave our boys in red some difficulty in the last few days. The Red Foxes are still a very raw, inexperienced team. Still, it is hard to ignore their early season surge (5-1 MAAC) - especially given progonosticators figured last season's heavy season class would result in a rebuilding year. With a strong Loyola (Md.) crowd - all of them remember how Marist was a powerhouse last season - I'd expect this one to be fun.

In other news, Niagara (5-1 MAAC) may have looked outmatched against a more talented Siena Saints squad (I'm a big fan of alliteration, by the way), but they still have the depth to make a run come tournament time. That conference record is no aberration. On Friday night, they go head-to-head with their antithesis, the feeble Canisius Griffs who have yet to record a MAAC victory. The top conference record against the worst? Something's gotta give.

More to come!

- Keith Connors