FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- A pair of games in less than 48 hours awaits the Fairfield University men's basketball team this weekend, beginning with Friday night's short trip to Quinnipiac University on Friday night. The two teams will tip off at 7 pm. The weekend also includes a home game on Sunday afternoon against Canisius College, a 2 pm contest on George Bisacca Court in Alumni Hall.

The Stags will return to action after a week layoff, falling to Iona College by a 64-57 count in New Rochelle on January 17. The loss evened up Fairfield's road record to 4-4, keeping the team as the only MAAC program with a .500 record in true away games. Fairfield has not dropped below the .500 mark in road games since its loss to nationally-ranked Maryland set the team's slate at 1-2 in mid-November.

The Stags led for a good part of the first half, holding a 21-14 advantage with eight minutes remaining. The Gaels closed out the half with a 17-5 run that pushed them in front by five points at halftime, a lead they never surrendered in the second half. Taj Benning led all Fairfield scorers with 15 points, a number that tied his career high. Freshman Chris Maidoh was the only other Stag in double figures with his career 10 points, all coming in the second half.

Maidoh has put together back-to-back games that are his best performances in a Fairfield uniform. After netting eight points and grabbing a personal-high nine rebounds against Saint Peter's, Maidoh followed up with his first double-digit scoring game with 10 points off a career-best four field goals (seven attempts). Over the last two games, Maidoh is averaging nine points, six rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.

Landon Taliaferro remains the team's top scorer with his 13.4 scoring average while Jesus Cruz places second among his teammates with 11.6 points every forty minutes. Vincent Eze secured nine rebounds against Iona, raising his team-best average to 5.8 rebounds per game.

Vincent Eze and Taj Benning have emerged as the team's top scorers in MAAC play as the pair are both averaging 10.3 points per game through six dates. Eze is also leading the team with 6.3 rebounds per MAAC game, slightly better than freshman Chris Maidoh's 6.0 rebounding average. Aidas Kavaliauskas has dished off a team-best 23 assists in six games (3.8 per game) and is shooting 58 percent from behind the arc (7 of 12). 

The Bobcats come off a 71-51 loss to Saint Peter's, bringing the team's overall record to 9-7 and its MAAC mark to 4-2. Quinnipiac joins Manhattan, Monmouth, and Niagara in a first-place tie with their 4-2 conference slate. The Bobcats won five straight games before running aground with a pair of loses in its last two dates, including a 12-point setback against Manhattan.

Kevin Marfo posted another double-double against the Peacocks, recording 14 points and 13 rebounds in the game. Marfo is the only player in the country to secure 10 or more rebounds in every game he has played this year which helps the forward place second in the nation with his 13.9 rebounds per game. Teammate Rich Kelly also has experience in being a statistical leader as his 17.1 scoring average paces all MAAC players.

The Bobcats lead the MAAC and place 10th in Division I with their 10.3 three pointers per contest. Kelly is responsible for 2.8 of that team three-pointers made per game average which is tied for the top spot in the MAAC. The Bobcats also are listed eighth on the NCAA team free throw percentage   leader list with their 78.2 success rate.