CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- There is no rest for the Fairfield University men's basketball team. Just 48 hours after opening the season in Connecticut, the Stags will battle top-ranked University of North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The 4 pm game will be broadcasted on ESPNU.
The Stags are coming off a season-opening setback against Yale University at the Connecticut 6 Classic. Fairfield received solid play from all four classes in the season debut with senior Marcus Gilbert and freshmen Curtis Cobb and Matija Milin each scoring eight points to pace the offense. Milin came off the bench to score his points as the reserves combined for 27 points by making 11 of 17 field goal attempts. Five of the six Fairfield reserves scored in the game.
The Fairfield defense also showed its capabilities by holding Yale under 40 percent from the floor, under 30 percent from three-point range, and blocking seven shots. Redshirt senior Scott King Jr. started his Fairfield career with four blocked shots, more than half of the team's seven rejections against Yale. King had three of those blocks in the first 13 minutes of the game before having to sit down with two fouls. He came back with one block in the second half.
Fairfield will have to stay out of foul trouble against the Tar Heels, a trait which it did not show in the Yale game. Three Fairfield student-athletes fouled out of the Yale game including seniors Marcus Gilbert and Coleman Johnson. Freshman Jonathan Kasibabu also fouled out in his collegiate debut. The two teams combined for 43 fouls with the Stags committing 26 of those infractions. Because of those fouls, Yale enjoyed a 21 (27 attempts) to 10 (13 attempts) advantage at the free throw line.
The top-ranked team in the nation opened its season with a 91-67 win over Temple University behind double-double performances from Brice Johnson and Kennedy Meeks. Meeks finished the contest with 25 points and 11 rebounds while Johnson tallied 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Marcus Paige is the team's top returning scorer with 14.1 points but did not play in the season opener against Temple. Johnson stepped up with his scoring performance against the Owls. He is the team's top rebounder from a year ago, averaging 7.8 caroms per contest.
Meeks posted 7.3 rebounds per contest last season and was the team's top shot blocker with 1.2 per game. The Tar Heels finished the 2014-15 campaign with a 26-12 overall record and posted an 11-7 mark in the ACC.
Following the North Carolina game, the Stags will return home briefly before returning to the road for a November 18 game with Norhtwestern University. Fairfield will not play its first home game of 2015-16 until November 21 when it hosts Sacred Heart University. For ticket inforamtion for the Sacred Heart game and all Fairfield home basketball contests, please call the Fairfield University ticket office at (203) 254-4136.
