FAIRFIELD, Conn. – You can make the argument that Thursday night's game at Iona is the first playoff game for the Stags. With a win, the Stags will clinch the number three seed in the MAAC Tournament for the third-straight season and the 11th time in program history. Fairfield can still get the three seed after losing on Thursday. If the Stags drop the contest against Iona but the Gaels drops their final game to Niagara and Fairfield defeats Manhattan, the Stags will clinch the seed from tiebreakers.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fairfield is coming off a heartbreaking loss as they lost a 17-point lead in the second half against nine-time defending MAAC Champions, Marist. The Stags played arguably their best half of the season in the opening 20 minutes against the Red Foxes. Fairfield led 22-10 at half, the 10 points Marist scored was the fewest in a half since the 1999-2000 MAAC Tournament. Fairfield out-rebounded Marist 26-17 in the first stanza including a 9-3 mark on the offensive glass. Marist assisted on only one of their baskets while committing seven turnovers. Marist was able to comeback in the game behind a 9-10 shooting performance by their shooter Madeline Blais who scored 24 points in the final half. There were many positives in the near upset including the shooting of Kristin Schatzlein who had a great bounce back performance and recording her second career double-double with a team- high 14 points. Schatzlein shot 3-6 from behind the arc.
THREE OR FOUR: With a win, the Stags will clinch the number three seed in the MAAC Tournament for the third- straight season. Fairfield has been the three seed 10 times in their history and are 11-9 in the tournament, winning the championship in 1988.
The Stags have not been the fourth seed in the tournament since 2005 and are 4-5 all-time as the fourth place team. Fairfield can still lose and get the three seed. Fairfield would have to beat Manhattan and Iona would have to lose to Niagara.
HANG TEN: For the second time this season, the Stags held an opponent to ten points in a half. It is the first time since 2011 that the Stags have accomplished that feat (Albany and Siena).
ARID DROUGHTS: Despite the loss, the Stags held Marist to without a field goal for the first 8:31 of the game, the 19th time this season that Fairfield has held an opponent to without a field goal in a five minute span.
Fairfield held Manhattan to no field goals for 11:32 and Saint Peter's for 11:23 for their largest runs of the season.
THE COMEBACK KIDS: In 10 of the 12 wins this season, Fairfield had to comeback from a second half deficit. The 10 wins after trailing at some point in the second half is tied for the highest number in the country (Tennessee and Cleveland State).
Fairfield trailed by 10 in the first half against Rider after coming back from a 12-point deficit against Saint Peter's. The 12-point deficit against Saint Peter's was the largest deficit overcome since Feb 24, 2012. The Stags have now come back to win three games when trailing by 10 or more.
FAIRFIELD VS IONA: The Stags snapped a three game losing streak against the Gaels in their last meeting in late January. Before their mini three game skid, Fairfield had won eight straight against Iona dating back to 2010. All-time this would be the 81st time that the two teams will meet, Fairfield is 54-26, their most wins among any opponent. The Stags are 20-13 on the road. The Stags got numerous individual performances in their last meeting against Iona with Samantha Cooper and Casey Smith both recording 20 points. Fairfield shot an impressive 59 percent in the second half, and 47 percent in the game. Smith recorded her only career double-double in the career with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Smith also had six assists with no turnovers. Perhaps most impressive was that Fairfield held the best rebounder in the conference, Joy Adams, to just seven rebounds, which was then the third fewest of the season for her. Over the last three games in the series, Felicia DaCruz is averaging more than five assists per game with Kristin Schatzlein netting nine points in her career against the Gaels. Helena Orts went 3-6 from the floor with eight points in her only game against Iona.
SCOUTING THE GAELS: This might be the time that the Stags want to play Iona. The Gaels have lost two straight, and three of their last five. The most surprising stat in those contests is that Iona has failed to score 60 points in two. Before this recent stretch, Iona reached the 60-point plateau in 13 of their previous 14 outings. The Gaels have a narrow margin of defeat, with a combined 12 points in losses to Marist and Quinnipiac. This year's game plan is no different for Iona: outscore your opponent. The Gaels score nearly 70 points per contest and shooting 42 percent from the field, the best number in the MAAC. The Gaels also like to hit threes in transition as they average eight 3-point attempts per game and have connected on 34 percent of those. The Gaels get off to a fast start, averaging 34 points in the opening half while their opponents net 29. Where there is an up there is a down, the Gaels allow 66.3 points per game, the most in the conference. Opponents are shooting 41 percent from the field, which is ninth in the conference. The all-time scoring leader in MAAC history, Damika Martinez, might be one of the best guards in the country. Martinez is third in the nation with 23.7 points per game and is the nation's active points leader. The senior also ranks 61st in NCAA history with 2,478 points. Martinez is not the only player that makes defenses cringe, Joy Adams is fifth in the country in rebounding and averages a double-double with 14.5 points and 12.8 boards. Five rebounds per game come on the offensive glass, the second best number in the country.
UP NEXT: The Stags finish up the regular season as they travel to Manhattan for a Saturday matinee at 2pm.
