FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball takes to the road for the first time in two weeks when it travels to Iona College for a Friday night match up. The game will be broadcasted on ESPN3 and is scheduled for a 7 pm tip.

The Stags (7-9 overall, 3-2 MAAC) won their second straight game with their 61-51 decision over Saint Peter's on Wednesday night, the second time this year that the team has won back-to-back contests (at Oakland and at Wagner). Fairfield led for most of the game against the Peacocks, holding an advantage for 28 minutes as compared to Saint Peter's being in front for six minutes. Fairfield's defense, which ranks first in points allowed among MAAC schools, dominated once again by allowing its opponent to less than 60 points for the fifth time this season.

All nine Fairfield student-athletes who played against Saint Peter's found their way into the scoring line on January 15. Four reserves combined for 24 points led by Calvin Whipple's nine points. Among the five starters, each posted points in the game led by Taj Benning's 15 markers, the first time that he was the team's high scorer this season. For Whipple, the performance was the first that he led all reserves in scoring since his eight points vs. Davidson (November 29).

Benning made all 10 of his free throws during the game which raised his free throw percentage to .797. Landon Taliaferro scored five points against the Peacocks, lowering his team-leading scoring average to 13.9. Jesus Cruz, who has come off the bench in three of the last four games, ranks second among his teammates with his 11.8 scoring average.Vincent Eze leads the team in two categories, namely field goal percentage (.533) and rebounding (5.6 rpg).  

Fairfield continues to hold the top spot for scoring defense among all MAAC teams, holding first place by allowing 62.9 points per game. The average also places the Stags 51st in the NCAA Division I statistics.

Iona enters tonight's contest with a 3-8 overall record and a 1-3 MAAC mark. The Gaels will play for the first time in five days, their second five-day lay off in January. Iona recorded a 69-66 win at Rider following its last five-day rest. The team posted 69 points in its one-point loss to Niagara, the third time in the last four Gael games that a game was decided by three points or less. Iona owns a 1-2 record in those three contests, falling to Saint Peter's (75-74) and Niagara (70-69) but defeating Rider.

The Gaels have two student-athletes who are scoring in double figures this season. E.J. Crawford paces the Gaels' offense with his 17.8 scoring average, a number which places second among the conference scoring leaders. Tajuan Agee is next in line among Iona scorers, netting 14.5 points every forty minutes off a team-best .531 field goal percentage. The team averages nearly eight three pointers per game (86 in 11 games) with Isaiah Ross picking up 20 of those long-range jumpers. Agee is the team's top rebounder with 8.8 per game, holding third in the MAAC stats.