Stags in MAAC Rankings

Key Categories:
SCORING OFFENSE G W-L Pts Avg/G
1. Siena 3 1-2 229 76.3
2. Loyola (Md.) 3 2-1 228 76.0
3. Rider 5 4-1 373 74.6
4. Iona 4 1-3 293 73.2
5. Canisius 3 2-1 218 72.7
6. Manhattan 3 2-1 214 71.3
7. Niagara 3 1-2 189 63.0
8. Fairfield 3 1-2 164 54.7
9. Marist 4 0-4 217 54.2
10. Saint Peter's 4 1-3 188 47.0

SCORING DEFENSE G Pts Avg/G
1. Saint Peter's 4 231 57.8
2. Fairfield 3 177 59.0
3. Rider 5 331 66.2
4. Loyola (Md.) 3 206 68.7
5. Canisius 3 207 69.0
6. Manhattan 3 215 71.7
7. Siena 3 224 74.7
8. Iona 4 302 75.5
9. Niagara 3 230 76.7
10. Marist 4 323 80.8

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGES G FGM FGA Pct
1. Rider 5 133 255 .522
2. Siena 3 80 170 .471
3. Manhattan 3 72 161 .447
4. Loyola (Md.) 3 74 169 .438
5. Iona 4 102 233 .438
6. Canisius 3 70 176 .398
7. Saint Peter's 4 69 191 .361
8. Niagara 3 61 171 .357
9. Fairfield 3 56 161 .348
10. Marist 4 70 205 .341

3-POINT FG PCT G 3FGM 3FGA Pct
1. Rider 5 48 94 .511
2. Siena 3 18 41 .439
3. Manhattan 3 13 35 .371
4. Iona 4 27 86 .314
5. Saint Peter's 4 20 67 .299
6. Loyola (Md.) 3 15 51 .294
7. Niagara 3 16 55 .291
8. Marist 4 25 87 .287
9. Canisius 3 21 77 .273
10. Fairfield 3 10 49 .204

ASSIST/TURNOVER RATIO G Assist Avg. T-Over Avg. Ratio
1. Rider 5 75 15.0 73 14.6 1.0
2. Loyola (Md.) 3 38 12.7 38 12.7 1.0
3. Canisius 3 41 13.7 43 14.3 1.0
4. Iona 4 54 13.5 68 17.0 0.8
5. Siena 3 38 12.7 53 17.7 0.7
6. Saint Peter's 4 39 9.8 58 14.5 0.7
7. Manhattan 3 26 8.7 39 13.0 0.7
8. Niagara 3 27 9.0 41 13.7 0.7
9. Marist 4 40 10.0 61 15.3 0.7
10. Fairfield 3 27 9.0 44 14.7 0.6

Needham Breaks Streak

Derek Needham's struggling start to the season continued at Penn State. The sophomore only managed to score 6 points. It was only the second time in his career that he failed to reach double-digits in scoring breaking a streak that lasted 27 games.

In fact no Fairfield player reached double figures. The first time that has happened since December 6th, 2006 when the Stags lost to Boston College.

It's been a long road for the Stags and this could be their biggest game of the year so far. In a season where the MAAC Tournament is in your building, the fans have heard the hype, and they expect to live up to the expectations, the team can't get off to a bad start. The biggest problem has been the attendance and it will be a problem tonight as the students are all home for the Thanksgiving Break.

St. Joseph Scouting Report

- The youngest team under 16 year head coach Phil Martelli

- combined the entire team has 11 years of college experience and the average age is 19.8

-14th in the A10 in field goal defense, allowing opponents to shoot 48 percent per game.

-leading scorer is Carl Jones, the Hawks have 3 players averaging double figures.

-Phil Martelli has used 11 of 12 scholarship players in each of the first three game.

-Leading rebounder is freshmen Langston Gallaway.

- 25th best recruiting class in the nation

- 19-4 all-time against the Stags (9 in a row)

-only won one road game last year (at George Washington)

-0-2 start was the worst start for the Hawks since 1998-99.

Penn State Video Report

On the Penn State website, assistant coach Lewis Preston scouts the upcoming game against Fairfield. He talks about all the matchups the Nittany Lions will face.

Penn State Scouting Report

Jeff Brooks made seven of 11 field goals which trans- lated into a career-high 18 points as Penn State remained unbeaten with a 66-57 win over Saint Joseph’s. The Nittany Lions held the Hawks to just 19 first-half points, setting up an 11-point halftime lead. Saint Joseph’s made five field goals in the half and shot 20 percent from the floor overall and 10 percent (1 of 10) from three-point range.

Penn State has three players who average better than 10 points per game, led by Talor Battle’s 18.0 scoring average. Jeff Brooks (14.0 ppg) and David Jackson (12.5 ppg) are also scoring in double digits this season. Brooks is almost averaging a double-double with nine rebounds every forty minutes.

Tonight’s game marks the second meeting between Fairfield and Penn State in a series which began during the 1975-76 season. Penn State posted a 76-68 victory in a game that was played at Madison Square Garden, the only meeting between these teams. The victory also broke a nine- game losing streak for the Nittany Lions. Steve Balkun and Mark Young each tallied 14 points, while Joe DeSantis added 13 markers to pace the Stags offense. Jim Ouderkirk and Chris Erichsen reached the 20-point mark for Penn State, netting 25 and 22 points, respectively.

Against The Big Ten: Fairfield has played seven of the 11 Big Ten teams in its history, and owns a 1-8 all-time record against the conference. The Stags played Illinois (0-1), Indiana (0-1), Iowa (0-1), Penn State (0-1), Northwestern (1-0), and Wisconsin (0-1) one time, while taking on Michigan three times (0-3). Fairfield played Illinois in its first-ever NCAA Division I tournament game (1986) and followed with another NCAA tournament game against Indiana one year later (1987). The Stags only victory against the conference came during the 1976-77 campaign, a 92-74 decision in the sea- son opener. Six Fairfield players reached double figures, led by Daryl Strickland (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Joe Finn (14 points, 10 rebounds).

Fairfield and Rebounding

Fairfield has outrebounded the opposition in each of the first two games, and owns a +7.5 re- bounding margin. The team’s season average of 39.5 rebounds per game and the rebounding margin number both rank first among Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) teams. Ryan Olander leads the team with 7.5 re- bounds per game which is tied for fifth among all MAAC student-athletes.

Here's the thing. Ryan Olander is 7 feet. Derek Needham is 5'11''. Olander had one more rebound than the guard in the Rutgers game. Needham is your second leading rebounder. With a team with strong freshmen, Hawkins, Nero, and Olander who would have thought Needham would be your second leading rebounder?

Fairfield Struggling in the Paint

After scoring 36 points in the paint against Sacred Heart, the Stags managed just eight points in- side the lane versus Rutgers. The lack of inside scoring forced Fairfield outside in the second half against the Scarlet Knights. The Stags made six field goals in the second half, five of which were from three-point range.

That includes 0 in the second half. In fact I think that the only two pointer they had was Derek Needham thinking he was taking a three. Shooters will have off nights that is why it is so important to have a close range game that Fairfield does not have. Nero only had one point in the game. Edney only one in the second half. Those players need to be in the top 5 in scoring on a nightly basis.

Derek Needham is Cooling Off

Stags star guard Derek Needham has struggled out of the gate so far in the season. Although he is the only Stag to score in double figures in both games he is shooting 8-31 from the floor to go along with a 3-16 percentage from behind the arc.

The Stags leading scorer shot 38 percent from the floor last year and 30 percent from three. He also has 11 turnovers in the first two games with only 8 assists. The guard has scored in double figures in all but one of his collegiate games.

I know it is only the first two games but the game against Sacred Heart scared me a little. Last year he had 14 assists against the Pioneers this year he only had 4. It's really hard when your best scorer is your point guard. When Siena had Ronald Moore, all they needed was clutch baskets and alot of assists. Needham needs to be in the top of the team in scoring and a leader, and a passer, and s steal machine.

Rutgers 68 Fairfield 53

The Fairfield University men's basketball team (1-1) dropped their first game of the year against the Big East team in the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1). Click here for the complete recap and boxscore.

The Least You Should Know:
-Warren Edney had 12 points in the game but only 1 in the second half.

-Greg Nero had 1 point

-Derek Needham had a team high 14 points but went 5-20 from the floor including 2-10 from behind the arc.

-The Stags did not have one point in the paint in the second half.

Well if the Stags keep playing like this, I think the MAAC is much more wide open than others think. They could not get anything going on offense. I do not know how a team does not score a close range shot in the second half. What is also disturbing is that Derek Needham only had one less rebound than Ryan Olander. Olander is the big man and the leader without Anthony Johnson and he NEEDS to get more boards. Not just him but the rest of the team as well.

The Game Ball Goes to: Colin Nickerson, He went 2-4 from three and did not have to play after he fouled out

Up Next: The Stags travel to Penn State to play the Nittany Lions Friday at 7:30.

Linney is Heating Up

The Fairfield University women’s basketball team improved their record to a perfect 2-0 after cruising past the George Mason Pioneers 54-37. The 489 fans who swarmed Alumni Hall witnessed a performance that became a sight to see. Stags sophomore guard Katelyn Linney scored a career high 30 points and tied the school single game record with 7 three pointers. The crowd grew louder as each straight shot caressed the bottom of the net. It was the first time a women’s basketball player tallied more than 30 points in a game since Stephanie Geehan recorded 33 against the same Pioneers. “She had a phenomenal, phenomenal game,” fourth year head coach Joe Frager said. “I was impressed the most by her defense,” Frager continued.

The New Jersey native is returning from an impressive rookie campaign where she enjoyed one of the best seasons by a Stags freshmen. She won six MAAC Rookie of the Week Awards averaging 10.2 points per game and swishing 67 three pointers, the third most in a single season in Fairfield history. “I feel more comfortable this year,” Linney said after the win, “the freshmen nerves are gone and I’ve grown a year.” Frager said that she played a “complete game.”

If the Stag want to prove their preseason ranking to finish fourth wrong, they are going to have to look for Linney and the rest of the Stags to play “complete games.” “We need to execute on offense,” Frager said. The head coach admits that the team is still looking for their biggest strength but is impressed by their inside play. “They have risen to the occasion,” he said. With the graduation of two presences in the paint with Tara Flaherty and Stephanie Geehan, who are both playing professionally oversee, the size of the team was a question mark when the season tipped off. “Sometimes it will be post players by committee,” Frager said. So far the Stags have “rise to the occasion,” as they have outrebounded their opponents by 13.

Although it is only the second game of the season, the victory against George Mason can be something that the team can build on. “It was a great win for us and for the conference,” Linney said. During her career game she only missed 3 shots the entire night. She went 10-12 from the floor including a astonishing 7-8 from three. It was the first time that the Stags have beaten the Patriots since 1996. Linney’s historic night could be compared to the last time a Fairfield team took on George Mason. Last year it was Mike Evanovich who drained a school record for three pointers in a game during the men’s magical comeback.

The women’s team will try to continue what they hope could turn into a magical season as they finish up their four game home stand this week. The Stags will take on Cornell and the University of Rhode Island at Alumni Hall. Last year, Fairfield started the campaign 3-0. Katelyn Linney will try to keep up her hot shooting but all she is trying to do is “looking to go out there and win.”

Fairfield 54 George Mason 37

The Fairfield Stags women's basketball team (2-0) cruised past the George Mason Pioneers (1-1) last night. The Stags have won two straight and including last year have won 11 of their last 12.

The Least You Should Know:
- Katelyn Linney scored a career high 30 points including tying the school's single game record with 7 threes. The 30 points is sixth all-time on the single game list. She went 7-8 from three and did not miss a shot the entire second half.

- The Stags outrebounded their opponent for the second straight game.

-Frager said he was very impressed with their defense

Linney had an absolutely amazing game. Throughout the whole game she only missed three shots. Granted she won't be like this every game but the Stags are desperately going to need her shooting in order to compete this season.

The Game Ball Goes to: Katelyn Linney, one of the best games. Her last three came at the top of the key when she was falling down, shades of Mike Evanovich.

Up Next: The Stags host the Cornell Big Red at Alumni Hall Friday at 7:00.

Sacred Heart has no buzz

According to administration at Sacred Heart University, there are no plans from adding any special event for the opening day game against Mohegan Sun. While Fairfield has 7 fan buses going up there (including WVOF) all handing out shirts, one advisor from Sacred Heart said that they do not plan to "hand out any shirts." This will no doubtedly be good for Fairfield as their fans should be the only ones in red and white shirts.

I am shocked that the Pioneers are not doing anything special for this event. We shall wait and see if the atmosphere is all Fairfield or not.

Fields has lacerated tongue

Fairfield basketball freshman guard Jamel Fields, sat out the exhibition loss against Stonehill due to a lacerated tongue. He suffered the injury in the win versus Bridgeport and received 18 stitches in his mouth. The injury is not expected to be serious and he hopes to play in the home opener against the Pioneers.

Beyar and Decker make All-MAAC teams

Stags defensive backs, Carly Beyar and Alyssa Decker were both named to All-MAAC teams in the awards ceremony on Thursday. Beyar was named to the All-MAAC rookie team with her defensive prowess and 2 goals scored (second on the team) and Decker was named to the Second team for her defensive play. It is Beyar's first career award by the MAAC and Decker's third. It is the first time Decker has not been named to the First team in her career.

I am shocked that Kelly Boudreau was not named to nay team despite her 11 shutouts. Pre-season player of the year Jasmin Corniel was also left off all the teams. Freshmen Shannon Fay and Jac Ley were also snubbed from the rookie team despite being on the upper level of the team in goals and points.

The team concludes their season as they host Harvard in a make-up game that is scheduled for November 11th.

Crawford Out

Fairfield men's guard Sean Crawford is out and probably for the season. The junior had a tear of is ACL during the Saturday practice after Red Sea Madness, which will require surgery. After the procedure to repair the tear, he is expected to rehab for 6-8 months. If he is indeed out for the year, Crawford will red shirt the 2010-2011 season.

Big loss for the team. Crawford was their ignitor from the bench and just seemed to come up with a clutch basket when the team needed it. I have spoken to Crawford since and he remains in high spirits about the team.

The team just keeps getting ravaged by injuries. But good teams are able to persevere. This injury will force other players to step up and fill their "Sixth Man" needs.

WVOF will broadcast exhibition games

WVOF has announced that they will broadcast both exhibition games with student broadcasters. Both games are start at 7:30 with the pregame starting around 7:25. It will be on 88.5 FM or cby clicking here