FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- After a brief stop at home, the Fairfield University men's basketball team will take another road trip. The Stags will play the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore on Tuesday night with the tip slated for 5:30 pm.
Maryland-Eastern Shore played Wofford College in their last outing and battled the Terriers to the end but came up short, 73-63, on the road. Senior Dominique Elliott performed well in the game, posting 19 points with seven rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Two freshmen were also instrumental in keeping Maryland-Eastern Shore close throughout the game. Thomas Rivera played his first collegiate game and added seven points to the cause. Ahmad Frost was equally effective with nine points.
Devin Martin and Elliott are the team's top scorers, both averaging 13 points per game. Martin represents the team's top three-point shooting threat, netting more than 50 percent of his attempts. The guard has connected on nine of 17 shots from behind the arc, more than twice the amount by runner up Ryan Andino's four long-range baskets. The team is averaging 57 points per game and collects just under 29 rebounds every forty minutes. The Hawks open their home schedule with Fairfield, one of only two home games in their first 12 dates.
The Stags opened their home schedule with a thrilling 83-79 win over Sacred Heart in overtime. Fairfield's defense came up big in the overtime period by forcing the visitors into missing their first five shots of the extra period. The scoring drought gave Fairfield its chance to take control of the game in OT.
The development of the Fairfield freshmen continues during the early part of the season. After Curtis Cobb posted 13 points off the bench against Northwestern, rookies Jonathan Kasibabu and Jerry Johnson Jr. took their turn on center stage with terrific efforts against Sacred Heart. Kasibabu posted his first career double-double with 12 points and 15 rebounds while Johnson Jr. was the team's co-leading scorer with 16 points off the bench. Sophomore Tyler Nelson also netted 16 points, the first time this season that he was a team leader in scoring. The guard also did his part in setting up his teammates with five assists against just one turnover.
Marcus Gilbert, who scored 12 points against Sacred Heart, is the team's top scorer with 15.8 points per game. Nelson is the only other Stag in double figures, averaging 10.8 points per contest. Kasibabu became the team's top rebounder with 7.5 caroms every forty minutes. Johnson Jr. is averaging 1.5 three pointers per game, second only to Gilbert's 2.3 three pointers per contest.
