Game Notes

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will return to the court on Monday, December 20 when it hosts the University of Vermont at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Game time is slated for 7:30 pm. It will be the first game for the Stags since traveling to the College of the Holy Cross on December 12.

Fairfield is in the midst of a six-game winning streak which improved the team's overall record to 7-3 after a 71-60 win over Holy Cross. The Stags will look to tie the longest win streak under Head Coach Ed Cooley tonight, putting together a seven-game streak in each of his first three years at the helm. Last year, the team's longest win streak stood at four games.

The long layoff was welcome by the team as it had played four games in eight days before the time off. The Stags won all four of those games which was split between two home games against Loyola and Howard as well as away games versus Siena and Holy Cross. 

Derek Needham remains the team's top scorer, checking into today's action with a 12.0 scoring average. He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season, including seven-point performance against Howard on December 7.. Warren Edney is next in line with a 10.1 scoring average. Olander tops the team rebounding list with 7.6 caroms per contest. He's been the top rebounder in five of the team's 10 games this season, including a personal-best 14 caroms against Loyola on December 5.

Vermont brings a 7-2 overall record into tonight's game after defeating Marist College by a 75-67 score at home. The Catamounts have been unbeatable at home this year with a 5-0 record. Tonight will be the third road game for the team, winning two of its previous three contests. 

The Catamounts have played three Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) schools this year and have come up victorious in all of those games. The team has defeated Siena on the road (80-76), Loyola at home (69-50), and Marist at home. Following tonight's game, Vermont will head to New Rochelle for its final MAAC match up, taking on Iona College on Wednesday. 

Evan Fjeld leads the team with a 17.9 scoring average, joining Joey Accaoui (12.8 ppg) and Matt Glass (10.9 ppg) as the team's double-digit scorers. Accaoui received his first start of the year against Marist, getting the nod in place of Simeon Marsalis, who started the previous eight games. The starting lineup change was the first for Vermont this year.