Stags 99th in Nation

The new computer ratings involving the MAAC Conference has been released. Ranking all the teams in the nation finds Rider in first in the MAAC, followed by Iona, and Fairfield at 99 rounding out the top 3.

I agree with the computer ratings as you can argue that Fairfield have two quality wins al year with the road victory at Siena and the home win against Vermont. The cancellation at Florida is a killer because they are more than a quality team and the Stags would be able to see where they stand. They are the last quality non-conference opponent and the rest of the schedule is very weak.

Women: Fairfield vs NC State POSTPONED

Tomorrow night's Fairfield at NC State game has been postponed and rescheduled for 12/30 at 4:00 PM. There is no word if there will be a radio broadcast for the event.

Stags vs Florida CANCELLED

Tomorrow night's game with Fairfield travelling to Florida has been CANCELLED with no make up date (if any) announced.

Not on the Bench Anymore

Three years ago she sat on the bench only emerging on the court for 20 games and 56 minutes of play. Combine that with her sophomore total of 37 and she saw 97 total minutes of action. In that limited time she managed to score 6 total field goals and her two season box score read 18 points. Who would have thought that 10 games into her senior season she would have attained 100 baskets and have amassed 258 career tallies?

 

When Joelle Nawrocki walked on to the Fairfield campus she immediately found herself behind the shadows of the players who have already been cornerstone of the team. "Her first couple of years here, especially her first two years we had both Lauren Groom and we had Shireyll Moore here, two players very capable of playing the three spot so she was kind of buried," head coach Joe Frager said.

 

After those two athletes graduated, it became the time that she had been waiting for. It was finally her chance to shine and show that she was able to play and to prove herself in her junior season. The opening game of that 2009-2010 campaign featured several career highs as she played in a then personal best 20 minutes. She recorded 3 rebounds which was as many as she had in the entire 2008 season and one board shy of her 2007 mark. She also swatted her first career block and swiped her third steal. Those 20 minutes almost doubled her career totals in every statistic.

 

By the time the team played their fifth game she had set personal bests in every single offensive and defensive category. Then came December 3^rd. The squad competed in their second home game of the young season and their first in the Arena at Harbor Yard. It also became the first time that she would hear her name resonating throughout the venue in the starting lineup. In that contest she reached career greats in points (15), field goals (6), three point field goals(3), while logging a personal best 39 minutes. That is more time than she saw in the entire previous year! In fact, during the first six games of the 2009 schedule, she almost doubled the amount of minutes she had in her entire career. "The first two years were difficult not playing a lot but over the past two years I've really done all that I can to contribute in every way I can and it's been really good," Nawrocki said.

 

That start seemed to be the one that turned her Fairfield career around. She would follow with five double-digit scoring games, 100 rebounds and 60 assists. Now in her final season wearing the Fairfield uniform, she is counted upon to be an even more impactful player than last year's breakout season, "last year we started her at times but we found out that we thought our best lineup was starting three post players,"F rager said. She has found herself to be a constant part of the opening lineup becoming a starter in all 10 games and has been the team leader in three separate contests. She also paces the squad in field goal percentage and three point accuracy.

 

Even though her 100 career field goal against Albany was a little milestone and one that is hardly even noticed, it shows how far she has come from her first two seasons. Her head coach said, "The patience that she showed and the commitment to our team has really shown through this year and Joelle has done a great job for us defensively and has made some timely baskets as well."

Fairfield has Best Defensive Game

The Fairfield University women's basketball team entered Wednesday's contest against the Albany Great Danes as the eighth best defensive team in the entire nation. The squad only had surrendered 50.2 points per game and had limited their foes to shoot only 35 percent. They would 'protect' those rankings as the miniscule numbers would decrease even smaller as they held the America East team to a program record 26 points while shooting a minute 16 percent from the floor. Statistically it was the best defensive effort in the 30 year history of Fairfield women's basketball. "I'm ecstatic with this win," head coach Joe Frager said, "I thought our kids did a fantastic job defensively. They paid really close attention to the scouts and really executed it to a tee."

 

Albany already became the seventh opponent that the Stags had held to under 50 points in the first 10 games of the season. Since Frager became the head of the coaching circle, the Stags have held 26 opponents to under 50 points and are 25-1 in those games. They have also confined 14 teams to under 45 points and lastly restricted 6 to below 40 tallies. It is safe to say that defense is something that the coach emphasizes in practice, "We really focused on our defense that is what we keyed in on before going into the game, we just wanted to take away their plans and make it as hard as possible for them," Joelle Nawrocki said.

 

Excluding the Hofstra game where they gave up 89 points, the team has allowed only 38 points per game! The big reason why they were able to 'secure' their winning streak which now stands at three games and 'guard' their 7-3 record.

 

Fairfield seems to have used these non-conference games as a way to flush out their mistakes and work on their strengths before the ever important MAAC portion of their schedule. "I think we're starting to turn the corner, conference play is always difficult because everyone knows each other so darn well ," Frager said.

 

With only one out-of-conference games remaining, the Stag's defense (which is the best in the MAAC) is coming together at the right time. "I think we can make a good case that this may be our best win of the season," Frager said. The head coach has always prided his team on their defensive systems. With the offense just starting to gleam the defense has always shined. If the team continues their impressive defensive effort, it just might 'secure' a MAAC crown.

Men’s Basketball Reaches 7 Straight Wins

The Fairfield University's men's basketball team continued to travel on their winning successful ways on Monday as they were victorious for the seventh straight game, the third time they have amassed a winning streak of that many under Coach Cooley. Their latest victim became the Vermont Catamounts, a team that Fairfield lost to a season ago in the annual BracketBuster contest. Although this was a non-conference game, it became a true challenge for the red hot Stags. The first six decisions of the winning streak have had some fans wondering about how legit the triumphs were. The half a dozen wins came against schools whose combined record was 8-38 which including two teams that were yet to show up on the other side of the loss column. Arguably the only 'big' win of the recent swing had been the blowout at Siena. But the Stags were looking for that "quality win."

 

The Vermont Catamounts became what they were searching for. They came into the game ranked 16^th in the Mid-Major Poll and 37^th in the National RPI rankings. "They were tough to prepare for," fifth year head coach Ed Cooley said, "they are a quality opponent."

 

When the Stags started struggling out of the gate, the loaded bandwagon quickly became less packed. Many question marks started to arise such as the injuries to Yorel Hawkins and Warren Edney and the doubt if Ryan Olander can truly be that big presence they desperately need. Those questions were answered on Monday.

 

"Warren and Yorel changed the game," Cooley said. Edney tied for the team lead with 15 points with Hawkins picking up his first double-double of the season recording ten tallies and rebounds. "We had to go out there and match their intensity," Edney said. The senior has reached double figures in almost all of the Stags games despite coming off the bench in the last few as he recovers from minor injuries. Coach Cooley does not care how or when he gets on the court, "I just like Warren there period," he said. "He's an oddball… if he was on a pool table he'd be a different color because when he hits something the whole game changes," Cooley said.

 

Hawkins recorded double figures in points for the fourth time in his past 5 games. It was the first time that both Warren Edney and Yorel Hawkins both ended the game in double digits.

 

The seniors were not the only two to steal the spotlight. Junior Ryan Olander showed that he can be a spark on this team. It has become a play maker who can shift the momentum of the game. The contest was culminated by a highlight reel one handed put-back dunk that he slammed down that brought a buzz to the usually quiet Arena at Harbor Yard. "Coach always says when the shot goes up get to the glass," Olander said. After the years of criticism about his toughness and his strength, Olander is going out there to answer his detractors. "When big guys get it the sky's the limit," Cooley said, "and he's close to getting it…he's going to be a hell of a player."

 

Cooley says the part of the game that the team prides themselves on is their toughness. It is evident if you witness and improved Olander for example. "Our guys lift weights and I don't want them to lift weights just to go to the beach," Cooley said.

 

The month of December was supposed to be the most difficult stretch for this squad. They were opposing two MAAC foes including the defending champions in rival Siena, a top 50 nationally ranked RPI team, and other contests that look like "trap" games. So far they have leaped over every hurtle. But their next game is a mountain. They travel to Gainesville to face the 19^th best team in the nation, Florida. This team has answered every whistle and have really heated up in the cold month of December.

    

Fairfield 500

The Fairfield University women's basketball team has always been noted as a successful MAAC basketball program. In 1980, Coach Diane Nolan and Fairfield began their Division I road and have experienced many ups and downs throughout the collegiate journey. The head coach led the squad to their first win of their new division against Hartford in the second game of the 1980 season and held the reigns for the next 26 years. During that stretch they were crowned champions on the MAAC Conference four times and have been on the national stage reaching the Big Dance twice. The exciting players and memorable coaches that have passed through the hallow walls of Alumni Hall have helped designing the venue with exhilarated fans and banners that hang from the roof. And after 30 years as a Division I program, the Stags have 500 wins to show for it.

 

The third win they recorded in their D I inaugural campaign was against St. Francis of New York. 496 wins later, they recorded number 500 versus the same Terriers. "[It's] really exciting. It's fun to be a part of that win," current head coach Joe Frager said. "This place has a rich history in basketball. Coach Nolan did a tremendous job when she was here. To try and continue that legacy and get this program going, it's exciting," he said.

 

214 people were in attendance to witness the historic win and the Stags 'race' to a win with a 64-50 decision. The afternoon was also an historic day for a player as Desiree Pina enjoyed a career best 24 points. Although the season is only 9 games old, it must have felt like '500 days of summer," for the junior guard. The Pre-season All-MAAC team selection entered the game shooting 20 percent from the floor and 2-22 from behind the arc. However, she has not concentrated on her recent struggles, "I don't really look at my points records, I just look at how we're going to win. If we win I can build on that anytime," Pina said.

 

Arguably, Pina is the most important player for the squad and they hope her performance is something the can build on. "It was only a matter of time before she had a game like this. She's a very competitive person and when you don't play the way you'd like to really competitive people tend to beat themselves up mentally," Frager said.

 

Fairfield now owns a two game winning streak and have "matured" according to Frager. "We've been talking to them about the importance of communicating both offensively and defensively. We're our best when we're talking on both ends of the floor and we're starting to see some of that," he said. Fairfield has now improved to 6-3 on the year but their record is not the most important aspect that they notice. Pina had one word for what she likes best of what she saw in the team, "togetherness."

 

With conference play approaching, the team is coming together at the right time. The Stags will go for win 501 on December 22^nd against Albany.

Stags go for 500

In the midst of its 30th varsity season and is on the doorstep of its 500th all-time victory. Team’s varsity record is at 499-364, a .578 winning percentage. Fairfield entered the year averaging over 17 wins per season at the varsity level and have won 65 games in just over three seasons under Joe Frager, going 65-39 under his tutelage.

They should get it against a St.Francis team who has only 1 win on the year and has lost to Manhattan by over 20 points at home. The Terriers have 60 assists to go along with 168 turnovers and have been outscored by an average of 18 points per game!

Other Milestones Coming Up:
Joelle Nawrocki needs 4 FGM for 100
Katelyn Linney needs 4 RBS for 100

Freshmen Success

The Fairfield University men's basketball team finds themselves at 7-3 throughout the first 10 games. If you think about the season they might consider themselves lucky for that, with the recent arising of Yorel Hawkins, the off-and-on performance of Derek Needham, the illness of Greg Nero, and the injury of Warren Edney, the performances of their three freshmen have really helped the team to their recent winning ways.

Throughout the streak the first year players are averaging nearly 11 more minutes than the first 4 games. In the year the rookies are averaging 20% of the team's scoring and 26 assists.

Jamel Fields: When Fields is in the game, he adds a dynamic presence that this team needs. He seems to take the pressure off of Derek Needham and is very aggressive to the hoop. He beats defenders with his speed and his outside shooting has quickly improved. I am impressed mostly with the way he can control the offense. The team seems to trust him when he is in the game and he does not make as many dumb passes as Needham.

He does have to improve on his free throws especially as a guard.

Maurice Barrow: He has really shown his promise in the last few games. He has shown that he can get to the hoop with his strength and can collect the rebounds.

I still don't think he is a very good finisher. Multiple times this year, he has garnered numerous offense rebounds and has failed to get the tip back.

Keith Matthews: This guy has everything. He is great around the basket and can really jump over anybody to get rebounds and has a nice touch inside the paint.

Stags win 6 straight

After a 1-3 start to the season, the Fairfield University men's basketball has won six straight games, the first time in nearly 3 years.

The only thing wrong with this winning streak is that 3 of the wins have come against team who were either winless or who have accumulated to only one victory on the season (Savannah State, Howard, and Holy Cross). The game versus Vermont will be a huge test for the team as they are playing their best basketball on the season, and is now playing against big competition.

Derek Needham Puts on a National Display

Derek Needham led the nation in assists on Tuesday. His 13 assists were 1 shy of a career high and the third time he has finished in double figures. The next closest was 8 by Dayton's Josh Parker and Columbia's Noruwa Agho. Needham finished with 8 assists in the first half. The guard had more assists than the entire Syracuse team.

Fairfield 72 Howard 52

The Fairfield Mens Basketball team (5-3, 1-0) defeated the Howard Bison (1-8) at Alumni Hall last night. It was the team's fourth straight win as the Bison and have now dropped eight consective decisions. View the complete recap and boxscore.

The Least You Should Know:
-Yorel Hawkins had a game high 16 points, the most he has scored all year.

-Derek Needham only had 7 points BUT a season high 13 assists.

-Maurice Barrow had a career game with 10 points and 9 rebounds

-The team shot 51.9 percent from the floor while limiting Howard to a 40 percent margin.

-They did have 9 of their 14 turnovers in the second half.

I really think this is one of the best games that the team has played. The people that you needed to step up really did and Needham finally found that his game is when he dribbles and splits the defenders. Even if he just had 7 points he really took the game over

Up Next:
The Stags travel to Albany to face the Siena Saints on the 10th.

Desiree Pina is Struggling

Desiree Pina entered the year as the teams leading returning scorer. However this season she is hitting only 1-20 from behind the arc and only .194 from the floor. That equates to only 6.1 points per game which is fifth on the team.

It is really hard to see Pina struggle like this. She works as hard as anyone and she really has that "it" factor. She can control the game better than any player I've seen. Although her numbers say 1-20 I hope she doesn't shy away from shooting because if she gets hot, watch out MAAC.

A Tale of Two Games

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was a tale of two games for the Fairfield University women’s basketball team. Over the weekend they enjoyed their best and worst offensive and defensive displays on the season, but they did not win a game dropping their record to 4-3 on the season. In fact, on Thursday against Villanova they struggled to the worst scoring display in the 30 year history in the program. Out of the 1003 career games, no Fairfield team, has ever tallied as little as 29 points. They also set the lowest mark for points in a half while only recording 9 in the first half. “It was a frustrating game,” Coach Joe Frager said. The fourth year head coach was disappointed in the amount of layups they missed in the game, “if we make just one of those, you’re looking at a 31-30 win.” Only four out of the 9 Stags players scored in the contest with junior forward Taryn Johnson leading the way with 11 points. The Stags remain winless against the Wildcats in their history, falling to 0-11. However the Pavilion at Villanova University wasn’t a ‘bleak house’ entirely for the Stags. “We were tremendously defensively,” Frager said. Fairfield held Villanova to only 30 points in the game, the lowest they have held an opponent since they held Lafayette to 29 points last year. “When you hold a Big East team to 30 points that’s impressive,” Frager said. The Stags did not allow a single point in the final 5 minutes of the contest.
The women’s basketball team traveled to Hofstra on Sunday to complete their weekend set of games. Although the boxscore would be the exact opposite, the result would stay the same: a loss. Playing against a team that had the “best press we’ve seen all season” and a system that is similar to the one that Kentucky runs according to Joe Frager, the Stags defense struggled allowing a season high 89 points. That was the most points allowed in a game since 2005 when Fairfield allowed 110 points against then the number one team in the nation: the Duke Blue Devils. Statistically it was the worst defensive performance in Frager’s four year reign. “They are two completely types of teams,” Frager said.
The Sunday game was not all ‘hard times’ however for the Stags. After only reaching 29 points in the Villanova game they accumulated 73 points to help the teams ‘pride.’ The best mark in regulation since November of 2008 when the Stags defeated Wagner 81-59.
Frager said it was good to see the team put the ball in the basket but he is hoping for a “few more role players to step up.” He believes that if they can find other people to make baskets then it would make it easier for players such as Desiree Pina and Katelyn Linney to score. The team’s leading scorer Desiree Pina has struggled in the opening stages of the season. The junior amassed 12.1 points per game last season but is only averaging a half of that total this year with 6.1 including going 1-20 from behind the arc. “I’m concerned. I’m definitely concerned,” Frager said. The Preseason All-MAAC team selection is also shooting just 19 percent from the floor. Frager does believe that she can find her way out of this slump, “she’s a battler,” he said.
After a scorching start to the season, sophomore Katelyn Linney has also cooled off. She was once shooting over 50 percent from behind the arc but is only 2-12 from downtown in her last 3 games. “[They are] guarding Katelyn tougher and tougher,” Frager said.
The squad finds themselves at 4-3 in the last few games before the end of the semester break. “If you had asked me in the preseason the way we were playing if I would have taken 4-3 I probably would have said ‘Yes’” Frager said. Although he said there is no reason the squad should not be 5-2. He says the purpose of out-of-conference games are to “[try] and get better.” He continues to look for the other players to step up for the team can fulfill their ‘great expectations.’

Coach Nickleberry Interview

As part of the WVOF pregame, the interview with Howard head coach Kevin Nickleberry can be hear starting at 6:50

National Rankings

Men's Basketball:
Team out of 336:
Scoring Offense (61.2 PPG) 290th
Scoring Defense (58.6 PPG) 36th
3 Pt Field Goals (4.6 PG) 292nd
3 Pt Pct Defense (30.2%) 101st
Rebound Margin (4.4) 97th

Individual out of 250:
Derek Needham- 3 Pt Field Goals (2.2) 183rd
Ryan Olander- Rebounds (7.4) 171st
Derek Needham- Assits (3.6) 231st
Ryan Olander- Blocked Shots (2.2) 51st
Colin Nickerson- Assist Turnover Ratio (2.5) 61st

Women's Basketball:
Team out of 333:
Scoring Offense (58.4 PPG) 244th
Scoring Defense (47.4 PPG) 12th
3 Pt Field Goals (6.2 PG) 88th
3 Pct Defense (43.7%) 7th
Rebound Margin (2.8) 119th

Individual out of 250:
Katelyn Linney- 3 Pt Field Goals PG (3.8) 3rd
Katelyn Linney- 3 Pt Field Goals Pct (57.6) 5th
Desiree Pina- Assist Turnover Ration (3.0) 15th
Desiree Pina- Assists PG (3.6) 203rd
Laura Vetra- Rebounds PG (7.4) 215th

Women's Basketball vs Villanova

Comparing the two:
The Stags outrebound the Wildcats by nearly 8.5 boards a game. Villanova is actually being outrebounded for they year. While the Stags maintain a +2.8.

With the help of Katelyn Linney, Fairfield is shooting .435% behind the arc with the sophomore guard is shooting .576% which is 5th in the nation.

The only categories that Villanova has an edge on is assists and turnovers. Nova averages two more assists than Fairfield while committing less turnovers. Desiree Pina enters the game 22nd in the nation in assist to turnover ratio.

The Series:

Fairfield has never beaten Villanova and they are 0-10. In a series dating back to 1996.

Savannah State Preview

The Tigers bring a 1-7 overall record into tonight’s game, which includes a 69-64 loss to Stetson University. Savannah State has played a challenging schedule thus far, including a two games in Ohio that involved a two-point setback to 2010 NIT champion University of Dayton. and a 54- 41 loss to the University of Cincinnati.

Savannah State has two double-digit scorers this sea- son, namely Jovonni Shuler (17.3 ppg) and Preston Blackmon (11.7 ppg). Shuler also represents the team’s top three-point threat, averaging 2.5 three pointers per game. He is making nearly 40 percent of his shots from behind the arc.

The Tigers have outscored the opposition in the second half this season, netting 56 percent of their points after intermission. The post halftime percentage includes nine overtime points which the team scored against Mount St. Mary’s.

The opposition has made nearly as many free throws as Savannah State has attempted this year. Opponents made 110 of 165 free throws this year (.667), while the Tigers have gone to the line just 115 times and have made 78 charity tosses (.678).

On the Right Track

After not having a scorer reach double figures, four Fairfield student- athletes registered more than 10 points in the win against Norfolk State, the most this season in any game. The team had no more than two double-digit scorers in one game in the previous four outings. Warren Edney led all Fairfield scorers with 20 points, followed by starters Derek Needham (17 points) and Keith Matthews (15 poitns). Jamel Fields came off the bench to score 15 points as well.

Warren Edney also became the First player to score twenty points in a game. It was his first twenty point performance since he tallied 24 in the 2008-09 season opener against Memphis.

Fairfield Shooting is Better

The Stags shot a season-best 63 percent from the floor and 62 percent from three-point range against Norfolk State. Before that performance, Fairfield had not shot better than 46 percent in any game this season. The team hit that field goal percentage (.457) against Sacred Heart in the season opener.

And one of those games was against St. Joseph, a team that allowed teams to shoot 48 percent on the floor.