Game Notes
FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will conclude its three-game road trip on Friday night when it heads to Big Ten country for a Friday night match up with Penn State University.
Fairfield enters Friday's game with a 1-1 record after dropping a 68-53 decision to Rutgers on Monday night. The Stags led early and trailed by only four points with six minutes to go in the half before falling behind by eight at halftime. Rutgers started the second half with eight straight points to go up 16 points and never led by less than 10 points the rest of the way. Derek Needham and Warren Edney paced the Fairfield attack with 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Needham is the only Stag to score 10 or more points in each of the first two games, and leads the team in scoring with 13.5 points per contest. Edney is also averaging in double figures with 10 points. Ryan Olander ranks first among his teammates with 7.5 rebounds every forty minutes, which also places fifth in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).
Jeff Brooks made seven of 11 field goals which translated 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.
The Nittany Lions are in a Connecticut swing right now, taking on Fairfield tonight before hosting Central Connecticut State University next week.
After Friday's game, the Stags will return to the Arena at Harbor Yard for their 2010-11 home opener, hosting Saint Joseph's University on Tuesday, November 23. The game is part of the Philly Hoop Group Classic, one of three games that the Stags will play in the event. Fairfield already played Rutgers, and finishes up with Norfolk State at the Palestra on November 26. The game will also be a Jesuit Basketball Spotlight game.
