Game Notes

                FAIRFIELD, Conn. – For the better part of 20 years, the Fairfield University-Loyola University Maryland men's basketball games always provided some extra juice among fans and students. There was a certain intensity when the two teams met twice a year as members of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

                But even though the Greyhounds now compete in the Patriot League, the two programs have continued the series with a non-conference game every year beginning with the 2013-14 season. And on Tuesday night at Webster Bank Arena, the series will resume when Loyola comes to town for another installment of this storied series.

                Fairfield will bring its 1-0 record into this contest after defeating Penn by an 80-72 score on Saturday afternoon. Loyola nearly upset 19th-ranked Northwestern University on the road, having a chance to tie the game in the final minutes but just coming up short.

                Both teams featured highlight reel performances by a veteran and a newcomer, both of whom had major impacts in their team's performance. For the Stags, senior Tyler Nelson scorched the nets for 30 points while freshman Wassef Methnani contributed 20 points in the Fairfield win. As for Loyola, senior Cam Gregory posted a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, which freshman Brent Holcombe complemented with 13 points off the bench in a four-point setback to the Wildcats.

        The Stags will try for a 2-0 start this evening which would be the second straight fast start for Fairfield under Head Coach Sydney Johnson. Fairfield won its first three games a year ago, defeating Sacred Heart, Dartmouth, and Wagner with the last two of those victories coming in the road.

        The Greyhounds opened the 2017-18 season on the road and nearly pulled off a major upset, falling to 19rh-ranked Northwestern University by a 79-75 score in Evanston. Andrew Kostecka posted a career-best 22 points for Loyola, while Cam Gregory added a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds. The Greyhounds trailed 75-70 with under two minutes remaining before Brent Holcombe netted his fourth three-point field goal to pull his team within two points. After Northwestern missed a three-point try, Loyola had the ball with a chance to tie the game, but a turnover kept the visiting team from making a tying run.
 
                Loyola has a good portion of its 2016-17 squad back for the upcoming year with 75 percent of its scoring back in uniform. Andre Walker returns as the team's leading scorer with 14.9 points, and also comes back as the team's leader in assists (3.9 per game), three-point field goals (82), and free throw percentage (.863). Walker entered the season as the program's 23rd all-time scorer with 1,225 points. Gregory broke the school record by netting 63.8 percent of his field goal attempts which helped him post 9.9 points per game a year ago. He is also one of the program's top rebounder, starting the year with 621 caroms.
       
        The basketball promotional calendar has many options for Fairfield fans on Tuesday night, beginning with 2-for-1 tickets where fans can but one ticket and get one free at the Webster Bank box office with coupon. The coupon can be found in the Connecticut Post and other selection locations in Fairfield and Bridgeport.
 
        Also, Wings Over Fairfield will be on hand with sample chicken wings in the Webster Bank Arena concourse. The Student Tailgate, sponsored by FUSA, will be held at Mason's Pub on the third floor behind section 102 of Webster Bank Arena. And a student shuttle will run from Barone Campus Center traffic circle to Webster Bank Arena beginning at 6 pm through the end of the game.