FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will return to the hardwood this weekend by hosting a pair of games with Rider University at Alumni Hall. The series will include a 5 pm game on Friday and Saturday with the games being broadcasted on the ESPN family of networks. The first game will be aired on ESPN+ followed by an ESPN3 broadcast on Saturday.
The games will be the first for Fairfield since the team dropped a 69-65 decision to Fairleigh Dickinson in their last outing on December 22. The Stags trailed by three points at halftime, the fifth time that the halftime scoring margin was three point or less this season. Fairfield has been outscored by 20 points in the first half through its first nine games (276 to 256).
Jake Wojcik, who led all Fairfield scorers with his 12 points against Fairleigh Dickinson, raised his season scoring average to 10.3 points per game which places second among his teammates. The junior has started all three of his appearances since joining the lineup in mid-December.
Senior
Taj Benning is the only Stag scoring more points per game than Wojcik with his 12.2 scoring average, a number which ranks 11th among the MAAC scoring leaders. Benning has been most successful from three-point range in MAAC play, leading all conference scorers with his .588 three-point field goal percentage in MAAC games only.
Caleb Green remains the team's top playmaker which his 27 assists, nearly three times as many as the team's runner up
Jalen Leach (10 assists).
The Broncs were scheduled to play Coppin State on Tuesday night but the game was canceled. Rider, 1-6 overall and 1-3 MAAC, has not been on the floor since December 23 when the team fell to NJIT at home. The Broncs played their last three games at home including a two-game series with Iona. The team opened the season with four straight road games beginning with Syracuse and St John's in early December.
Dwight Murray Jr. has been the team's top all-around player with 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game. His best game of 2020-21 came against Manhattan on December 11 when he recorded 20 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists. The Broncs have also received support from Christian Ings and Rodney Henderson, both of whom average 10.5 points per game. Following this weekend's series, the Broncs will return to the road with a trip to Niagara University on January 8 and 9 before returning home for games with Siena College on the following weekend.
Following the Rider series, Fairfield is scheduled for a pair of MAAC games against Saint Peter's University next weekend as the Stags will travel to Jersey City for 8 pm contests on January 8 and 9.
