MAAC Basketball Championship Spotlights: Fairfield Stags
MAAC Sports
EDISON, N.J. – With the 2015 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships quickly approaching, the league will begin to spotlight each of its 11 member institutions’ men’s and women’s programs leading up to championship week. Today’s school scheduled to be featured is Fairfield University.
Fairfield Men’s Basketball
Preseason Poll Pick vs. Current Standing (as of Feb. 16):
The Stags, who were picked ninth in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, started off the league slate at 2-0 with wins over defending MAAC Champion, Manhattan, and Quinnipiac. Currently, the Stags are 10th in the standings with a 4-12 mark, while standing at 6-20 overall. Fairfield looks to snap a nine-game losing skid dating back to its last league win over Marist on Jan. 16. During the stretch, six of the Stags’ losses have been determined by single digits. Against both Monmouth (Jan. 30) and Quinnipiac (Feb. 13), Fairfield fell by a single point, while the squad also dropped a two-point overtime decision to second-place Rider on Feb. 5.
Player to Watch: Marcus Gilbert
Junior forward Marcus Gilbert leads the Stags with 16.7 points per game, good for fifth in the MAAC, while leading the conference in made free-throws. Gilbert recorded a monster game against Rider on Feb. 5, putting up 30 points and 13 rebounds in the overtime loss, to mark the forward’s first career double-double. 25 of his 30 points came in the second half and extra period combined. On the season, the junior is also ninth in the MAAC in field goal percentage (45.9%), seventh in blocked shots (1.1 per game), 11th in free throw percentage (77.4%) and 16th in rebounding (5.5 per game).
Top Play of 2014-15 (as of Feb. 16): Watch Here
Breakthrough Performance(s) (as of Feb. 16):
Fairfield opened MAAC play on a high note at 2-0, topping the defending league champions, Manhattan, by double digits in the conference opener. The win over Quinnipiac came in dramatic fashion, after Marcus Gilbert hit a long three with time expiring to send the game into extra time at TD Bank Sports Center. The Bobcats outscored the hosts by a 10-6 margin in the overtime period, led by Mike Kirkland Jr. and Steve Johnson’s four points. Johnson sank a critical layup with seven seconds left that made it a two-possession game and ultimately led the Stags to victory. Both the Jaspers and Bobcats were predicted to finish in the top five of the standings.
Fairfield Women’s Basketball
Preseason Poll Pick vs. Current Standing (as of Feb. 16):
The Stags were picked fourth in the preseason poll, and are currently tied for third in the league standings with an 11-5 mark, while standing at 12-13 overall. Fairfield has played one of the most difficult schedules in the nation, as five of its nonconference opponents advanced to last year’s postseason. Coach Joe Frager’s team is coming down the stretch hot, having won five of its last six, including an 11-point victory over Iona who the Stags are tied for third in the standings with.
Player to Watch: Casey Smith
Redshirt sophomore Casey Smith, who is playing in just her first season of collegiate competition, is a five-time MAAC Rookie of the week. Smith leads the Stags in scoring, averaging 12.2 points per game which ranks 13th in the conference (as of Feb. 16). The forward poured in a career-best 24 points against La Salle on Dec. 28, while shooting a torrid 63.2 percent from the field. On the year, Smith has notched double figures in 14 of the Stags’ 25 contests.
Top Play of 2014-15 (as of Feb. 16): Watch Here
Breakthrough Performance(s) (as of Feb. 16):
The Stags swept the weekly awards for the week of Feb. 2, led by outstanding performances from redshirt freshman Samantha Cooper and Casey Smith. The sweep marked the first time since 2011 that the Stags earned both weekly awards. Cooper set a couple of career-highs in Fairfield's 2-0 week, tallying a career-best 22 points in the team’s victory over Iona. In the win against Monmouth, Cooper grabbed a personal-best 14 rebounds- the most by a Stags player this season. For the week, she averaged 15 points, 10.5 boards, three assists, and shot 44 percent from the field.
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The next spotlight, set to be released on Tuesday, Feb. 17, will feature the Iona Gaels men’s and women’s programs.
The 2015 season culminates at the 2015 MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships at the Times Union Center in Albany, New York, March 5-9. Tickets for the championships are available online at ticketmaster.com.
For the full men’s basketball schedule, visits maacsports.com and remember to follow the conversation on twitter using #MAACHoops and #MAACHoops15.