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FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- There is a lot on the line when the Iona Gaels and the Fairfield Stags meet on Friday night at Webster Bank Arena (7 pm tip). The visitors are in a three-way tie for first with Manhattan College and Loyola College, with the Stags sitting right behind the trio at 5-3. A win on Friday would go a long way in the Stags making a run at repeating as MAAC regular-season champions.

But when you look at the Gaels, you will quickly see that this will be a challenge. Iona enters this game ranked second in the nation in scoring, netting nearly 84 points per game and scoring more than 80 points in 12 games. 

However, the Stags are the top-rated scoring defense team in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and have allowed only one team to reach the 80-point mark all season long - Providence in the second game of the season. As they often say, something has got to give and the best way to find out is to be at Webster Bank Arena. 

The Gaels have three student-athletes averaging in double figures for the season, led by senior Mike Glover's 19.1 points per game. His scoring success can be traced back to his accuracy from the floor, shooting 67 percent through the first 20 games. Lamont Jones is next in line with 15.3 points per game, averaging more than 34 minutes per game.
 Guard Scott Machado is averaging a double-double this year, but not in the conventional points-rebounds way. Rather, the senior is netting 13.1 points and dishing off 10.2 assists per game. He leads the nation in assists and is trying to become the first Division I player to average 10 or more assists per game since Baylor's Nelson Haggerty accomplished the task in 1995 with 10.14 per contest.

Fairfield enters the game with a 10-9 overall record and a 5-3 MAAC mark. The Stags last played on January 19 when they defeated Saint Peter's College by a 75-63 count in Jersey City.

 Rakim Sanders and Ryan Olander each recorded a double-double in the game, the first time this season that two Stags earned that recognition in the same contest. Sanders led all scorers with 19 points and added 10 rebounds, while Olander tallied 17 points and 10 caroms. It marked the first time that the Stags have had two double-double student-athletes in a game since Anthony Johnson (12 points, 10 rebounds) and Derek Needham (20 points, 10 assists) hit the marks against Rider in January, 2010.

 Sanders is averaging nearly a double-double per game in MAAC play this year, entering tonight's action with a 15.1 scoring and a 9.8 rebounding average. Siena's OD. Onosike is the only player in the MAAC to average a double-double in conference play with 16.3 points and 13.4 rebounds.

This game is part of a doubleheader with the women's team hosting Manhattan College at 4 pm. The women's game has also been designated as the Play 4 Kay game, an initiative to raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, in the communities and beyond.  St. Vincent's Swim Across the Sound will receive 50% of the ticket proceeds when fans use the promotional code: SWIM.  

Fairfield is playing the first of five straight home games tonight, which includes a Sunday matinee with Marist at 1 pm. The rest of the home stand includes Niagara on February 3 at 7:30 pm, Siena on February 5 at 3:30 pm, and Manhattan on February 9 at 7:30 pm.

In addition, the make-up dates for the game originally scheduled for January 22 at Marist, postponed due to the tragic fire that claimed the lifes of three members of the Marist College community, were announced.  Dependant on the Bracketbuster pairings for the Stags and Red Foxes, both of whom are road teams, the game will be played either Monday, February 20 or Tuesday, February 21.  The announcement of the television games of Bracketbuster will be made Sunday, with the full slate of games on Monday.

Tickets for the Iona game and all Fairfield University men's basketball home games are available through Ticketmaster.com and at the Arena box office. 

January 27 Promotions
MAAC Shootout: Four student team champions will compete at halftime to be crowned the grand champion, and represent Fairfield University during the MAAC Basketball Tournament's Shootout.

Teacher Appreciation:  All teachers will receive $5 ticket.  Must show any school identification.