Game Notes
FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will put its 11-game winning streak on the line in front of a national audience as the Stags take on Loyola University Friday night. The game is scheduled for a 7 pm tip on ESPNU.
The team brings a 12-3 overall record and a 5-0 MAAC mark into this game, looking to remain the only unbeaten team in MAAC play.
The Stags moved up to number three in the nation for scoring defense at 53.9 points in the last set of NCAA statistics (games through January 9). Stephen F. Austin (52.3 ppg), and Nebraska (53.5 ppg), were listed ahead of the Stags in the January 9 rankings. Fairfield remains ranked number one in the MAAC statistics for scoring defense, field goal percentage defense (382), and three-point field goal percentage defense (.270).
Derek Needham remains the team's top scorer, checking into today's action with a 12.9 scoring average. He has scored in double figures in all but two games this season. Ryan Olander is next in line with a 10.0 scoring average, while
Warren Edney stands at 9.1 points per game. Olander is the team's top rebounder with 7.4 caroms per contest.
The Greyhounds enter tonight's game with a 6-9 overall record and a 2-3 MAAC mark. Loyola won back-to-back games against Marist and Manhattan before dropping its last outing, an 86-68 decision against Iona. The team has been successful at home this year, winning four of seven games at Reitz Arena.
Erik Etherly and Shane Walker have been registering double-doubles all season long. Ethlerly picked up his second career double-double in the Manhattan game, registering 14 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. One month earlier, he tallied his first double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds at Howard. Walker has five double-doubles over his career, two of which he collected last month against George Mason and Mount St. Mary's.
Jamal Barney and Shane Walker are the team's top scorers, averaging 10.9 and 10.4 points per game, respectively. Erik Etherly leads the team in rebounding with 7.5 caroms per contest, slightly higher than Shane Walker's 7.3 rebounding average. The Greyhounds are one of the better three-point shooting teams in the conference, averaging just over six long-range baskets per game. Robert Olson has 26 of the team's 93 three pointers.
