FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- After playing their last three games at home, the Fairfield University men's basketball team will take to the road for a Friday night match up with Marist College. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3 beginning at 7 pm.
Like Fairfield, the Red Foxes are coming off a loss to Saint Peter's as they fell to the Peacocks by a 76-67 count in Jersey City. Marist returns home after playing a three consecutive road games, falling to Iona, Rider, and Saint Peter's. The Rider game was quite eventful with the final score standing at 102-100 in overtime.
Junior Khallid Hart, who is the top scorer in the MAAC at 22.8 points per game, was central to the team's offense in that game as well as the other two games during the road swing. He netted 36 points against the Broncs and averaged 28 points per contest during the three-game run. Hart has 103 free throws to his credit with 33 of those coming over the last three games (39 attempts - .846).
Guard Brian Parker leads all MAAC freshmen in scoring with 16.5 points per game, coming off a 17-point, eight-rebound effort at Saint Peter's. One game earlier, he registered a double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds at Rider. The Red Foxes are the only team to have two student-athletes among the top five MAAC scoring leaders. Parker is also the team's top rebounder at 5.4 rebounds per contest, and is also tops on the team with 50 assists in his 16 appearances. Marist plays five of its next eight games at home before finishing up the season series with Fairfield on February 15 at Webster Bank Arena.
The Stags dropped their first game at Alumni Hall this season with its 77-71 result against Saint Peter's on Tuesday night. Fairfield won its first two contests at its on-campus facility, defeating Columbia in overtime and Dartmouth. The game finished off a three-game home stand against conference opponents and now have a 6-3 record at home. Following tonight's game, Fairfield returns home for three more MAAC games, hosting Iona (1/24), Canisius (1/29), and Quinnipiac (2/1).
Jonathan Kasibabu registered his second double-double of his career with 16 points and 10 rebounds against Saint Peter's, one of four Fairfield student-athletes in double figures. Two other Fairfield freshmen also reached double figures with 13 points from Jerry Johnson Jr. and 11 points from Curtis Cobb. The Stags overcame a first-half 10-point deficit to take the lead at intermission, 36-33. Saint Peter's rallied to tie the score and take the lead with a 6-0 spurt midway through the second half that put the visitors in front for good. Marcus Gilbert scored 13 points in the game which brought his scoring average to 18.9, a number which places third among the MAAC scoring leaders. Tyler Nelson, who places second on the team with a 15.1 scoring average, scored six points, ending his streak of eight straight games with 10 or more points.
