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FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The wait is over and it's time for quest to begin on Saturday afternoon.

The Fairfield University men's basketball team will open up play in the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Basketball Championship with its quarterfinal match up against fifth-seeded Rider on Saturday, March 3. The game will tip off at 2:30 pm from the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass, and will be broadcasted live on ESPN3.

The Stags (17-13 overall, 12-6 MAAC) will play the Broncs for the second straight game, finishing up the regular season with a 65-62 setback in Lawrenceville last Sunday. Fairfield won the first meeting with Rider, posting a 61-52 decision at Webster Bank Arena. The two teams have been relatively equal over the last three seasons, splitting the last six games. Fairfield will play Rider for only the second time in the MAAC tournament setting as the Stags came up two points short in th e 2005 semifinal game (74-72).

Rakim Sanders, who surpassed 500 points for the season in the Rider game, has been consistent throughout the year. The forward averages 16.7 points per game, which is the same scoring average he possessed in MAAC play. Sanders is also leads the team with 8.2 rebounds every forty minutes. Maurice Barrow comes off a career-high tying 16 rebounds against Rider and places second on the team with a 5.7 rebounding average. He is tied with Ryan Olander in the scoring column as both student-athletes average 8.8 points per contest.

The Broncs enter the tournament with a 13-18 overall record and a 10-8 MAAC slate, which includes victories in each of their final two regular-season games. Rider won seven of its final 10 MAAC games with six of those wins coming at home.

Rider has five student-athletes who score in double figures, led by Jeff Jones' 13.2 points per game. Brandon Penn (12.4 ppg), Daniel Stewart (11.1 ppg), Novar Gadson (10.9 ppg), and Anthony Myles (10.1 ppg) are also averaging better than 10 points per game.

Stewart and Penn are the team's top rebounders with 6.7 and 6.5 rebounds per game. Penn is also the team's top three-point threat with 65 long-range jumpers in 30 games.

The winner of this game will play on Sunday, March 4 at 2 pm. For complete tournament information, please visit the MAAC tournament central.