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Game Notes

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will play for the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) championship on Monday night when it takes on Loyola University at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The game tips off at 7 pm and will be aired on ESPN2.

The Stags gained the championship game berth with its win over Iona College on Sunday afternoon. The Greyhounds secured its place in the title game with a victory over Siena College, a 70-60 decision also on Sunday.

The Stags last appeared in the MAAC championship game in 2010 when it dropped an overtime decision to Siena College at the Times Union Center. Fairfield has appeared in the MAAC championship game six other times, winning three of those contests. The program captured the MAAC title and collected the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in 1986 (Holy Cross), 1987 (Iona in overtime), and 1997 (Canisius).

Rakim Sanders played a pivotal role in the team's win against Iona on Sunday, registering a double-double with a career-high 26 points and 12 rebounds. Keith Matthews and Colin Nickerson each tallied 14 points in the win against the Gaels, while Desmond Wade added a career-best 11 assists. Wade has registered 17 assists against two assists in the two MAAC tournament games so far.

Fairfield and Loyola split their season season in 2011-12 with the visiting team winning those games. The Greyhounds secured a 66-63 win at Webster Bank Arena in January, but the Stags returned the favor with a 68-51 win at Reitz Arena in February.