FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- After a brief interlude into Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) play, the Fairfield University men's basketball team will once again focus on the non-conference portion of its schedule Tuesday night. Bucknell University will come into Webster Bank Arena for a 7 pm game that will also be broadcasted on SNY and ESPN3.
The Stags will play their final home game of the 2016 calendar year on Tuesday night, finishing up the month at North Carolina State (December 18) and at the University of Pennsylvania (December 30) in addition to a neutral site contest with Boston College at Mohegan Sun Arena (December 21). Bucknell plays its second game in a three-game road swing that started with La Salle last Saturday and ends with a December 17 match up with MAAC foe Siena College.
The Bison, which captured the Patriot League regular-season title last season, are off to a good start in non-conference play, posting a 6-3 record coming into this game. Bucknell is the only Patriot League team with a winning record at this point with three teams standing at .500 and six other squads under .500. The program saw its four-game winning streak end with its 83-73 loss at La Salle, the fourth true road game. Bucknell has also played two neutral site games which resulted in wins (Las Vegas Invitational).
Bucknell picked up its only road win of the season at Vanderbilt as part of the Las Vegas tournament. In addition to playing Fairfield and Siena, Bucknell opened the season with a 76-64 win over another MAAC school in Manhattan at home. Zach Thomas rates as the team's top scorer and three-point threat, leading his teammates with a 16.6 scoring average and 1.8 three pointers per game. Nana Foulland places second in the Patriot League for field goal percentage (.646) and rebounding (7.6 rpg).
The Stags dropped their second road game of the season with an 80-73 setback against Siena. Fairfield erased a 19-point deficit to tie the game at 58-58 but Siena bounced back with seven straight points and never gave up the lead over the final eight minutes of the game.
The game featured two large runs, an 18-0 string by Siena in the first half that turned a 9-8 Siena advantage into a 27-8 Saints lead and an 18-2 stretch by Fairfield in the second half. which resulted in the Stags tying the game at 58-58. Tyler Nelson posted 23 points in the Siena game, his fourth 20-plus point performance this year. Amadou Sidibe registered his fourth straight double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Nelson holds the top spot on the Stags' scoring list, registering 21.0 points per game. Sidibe is the team's rebounding leader with an 11.4 average. Cobb scored 19 points against Siena with 13 coming in the second half. Both season averages also lead all MAAC student-athletes in those respective categories.
Fairfield students can pick up a free ride to and from the game on Tuesday night from Uber Connecticut. Click here for more information.
