FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will complete its two-game season-opening home stand when it hosts the University of Massachusetts at Webster Bank Arena on Saturday. The game is scheduled for a 1 pm tip.

 The Stags opened the season last Tuesday, falling to Bucknell University by a 68-64 score. Fairfield made a valiant effort in Jay Young's debut as the Stags' head coach. After the two teams played to a 33-33 tie in the first half, the Bison put together the team's first real run. With the score standing at 40-37 after a Jesus Cruz layup, Bucknell used five three pointers to turn that small edge into a 15-point advantage with 5:15 on the clock. The Stags answered with 13 straight points over the next four-plus minutes to pull with a possession. Bucknell made four free throws in as many attempts to help run out the final 29 seconds of the game

Cruz scored a team-high 24 points, while Taj Benning netted 12 points against the Bison while his seven rebounds was just one off his career high set last March. Landon Taliaferro, who paced the team with 90 three pointers a year ago, was responsible for both of the team's three pointers off seven attempts while the rest of the team went 0 for 5 from distance. Taliaferro finished the game with 17 points while Taj Benning tied his career high with 12 points.
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The Minutemen make their first road trip of the season but it won't be their only Connecticut run.  The team will also play a pair of games at Mohegan Sun Arena later this month, taking on Virginia on November 23 and either Arizona State or St. John's on November 24. UMass opened its season successfully by beating UMass Lowell at home behind a 23-point effort from T.J. Weeks.

The freshman was one of five student-athletes in double figures, joining Carl Pierre (13 points), Samba Diallo (12 points), Sean East II (11 points), and Tre Mitchell (10 points) for that distinction. The Minutemen started the second half with an 11-2 run over three minutes to turn a three-point halftime lead into a double-digit edge.  The Minutemen showed their long-range shooting ability by netting nine shots from behind the arc, led by Weeks who connected on four of his six tries. Pierre also worked well behind the line, tossing three of his eight three-point attempts.

Game Promotions
Student T-Shirt Giveaway: The first 300 students in attendance will receive a Fairfield Basketball t-shirt.
 
Lil' Stags Bring-A-Friend Day: All Lil' Stags Club members receive free youth admission for themselves AND a friend! A Lil' Stags Club membership card must be presented to redeem. Click here to join the Lil' Stags Club!
 
Free Student Shuttle: A free student shuttle will run between Alumni Hall and Webster Bank Arena beginning an hour prior to tip-off through the end of the game.