THE OPENING TIP
Fairfield Men's Basketball returns home to Webster Bank Arena to host Monmouth in the backend of the Thursday doubleheader. The Stags and Hawks will tip-off at approximately 7:30 p.m. following the completion of the 5 p.m. game featuring Fairfield Women's Basketball hosting Manhattan in MAAC action.
 

• Webster Bank Arena Box Office – The Box Office is a preferred cashless site. Single game tickets for all Fairfield home games can be purchased in advance at fairfieldstags.com/basketballtix.
• Webster Bank Arena Concessions – All food and beverage vendors will be cashless including the bar inside the Stags Club. All major credit cards are accepted.
• Parking – Season parking passes are still available for purchase at fairfieldstags.com/TIX. The parking garage and lots surrounding Webster Bank Arena accept cash only on gameday
• FREE Student Tickets – Admission is free for current Fairfield University students by presenting a valid StagCard
• FREE Student Shuttle – A student shuttle will run continuously from the BCC traffic circle to Webster Bank Arena beginning at 4 p.m. and through the end of the men's game.
• $5 Student Parking – Fairfield students with a StagCard can park in any of outdoor lots surrounding Webster Bank Arena for only $5 (cash only).
• Covid-19 Policy – Per the city of Bridgeport, all spectators are required to wear masks at all times while inside Webster Bank Arena unless actively eating or drinking.

 
SUITS AND SNEAKERS
Head Coach Jay Young and his staff – as well as the Monmouth coaching staff – will participate in the Coaches vs. Cancer "Suit and Sneakers" initiative on Thursday. The Coaches vs. Cancer program is a collaboration between the NABC and the American Cancer Society to raise awareness and show unity in the fight against cancer.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Fairfield rallied back from a double-digit deficit to tie host Quinnipiac in the second half of Sunday's in-state MAAC clash in Hamden. But the Stags were ultimately unable to pull ahead of the Bobcats, who held on down the stretch to take a 72-66 decision.
 
Caleb Green netted his 1,000th career point in the contest, reaching the milestone on a clutch three-pointer during the Stags' comeback.
 
Supreme Cook continued his strong play in the post, scoring a team-high 13 points and hauling in a game-best 11 rebounds – often while matched against MAAC leading rebounder Kevin Marfo. Cook's double-double was his fifth of the season and his third in the last four games.
 
1,000 POINTS: WHO'S THERE AND WHO'S NEXT?
Taj Benning enters Sunday's game with 994 career points, six shy of becoming the 45th member of the Stags' 1,000 Point Club.
 
In addition, Caleb Green reached 1,000 career points on Sunday, having scored 633 in two seasons at Holy Cross and 367 to date in two active campaigns at Fairfield.
 
Jesus Cruz netted his 1,000th point last season and has since risen to 18th on the career charts with 1,308 points. Next on the list for Cruz is Maurice Barrow, who scored 1,309 points for the Stags from 2010-14.
 
THE MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY HAWKS AT A GLANCE
An 86-85 overtime loss to Iona on Tuesday to extend their losing streak to four games dropped Monmouth to 10-6 on the season with a 2-3 record in the MAAC. Like the Stags, the Hawks swept the MAAC Buffalo trip in December but have not won a MAAC game since. Monmouth's conference losses came at the hands of Saint Peter's, Marist and Iona. The Hawks' non-conference slate included signature wins at Cincinnati and Pitt as well as strong mid-major wins over Princeton, Saint Joseph's, Yale and Colgate.
 
Monmouth boasts three of the top nine leading scorers in the MAAC: George Papas (15.9 ppg), Shavar Reynolds (15.4 ppg) and Walker Miller (14.4 ppg). As a unit, the Hawks rank fifth in both scoring offense (71.3 ppg) and scoring defense (69.1 ppg).
 
THE HAWKS IN 2020-21
Monmouth shared the MAAC regular season title in 2020-21 with a 12-6 conference mark as a part of 12-8 overall record. The Hawks garnered the #2 seed in the MAAC Championship, falling to the Stags in the quarterfinal round.
 
LAST MEETING: FAIRFIELD 79, MONMOUTH 60 (2021 MAAC Quarterfinals)
Fairfield and Monmouth played all nine other MAAC during the regular season in 2020-21, but did not meet each other until the MAAC Championship Quarterfinals. The #7 seeded Stags pulled off the upset of the #2 Hawks, leading for the final 26 minutes of the game and building a margin as large as 22 points en route to a 79-60 victory.
 
Taj Benning led the Stags with career highs of 24 points and 12 rebounds. Supreme Cook also posted a double-double, netting 11 points and pulling in a personal-best 14 boards. Caleb Green and Jake Wojcik also scored in doubles in the game with 12 points apiece.
 
Melik Martin was the only Monmouth player in double figures with 12 points, while Deion Hammond and George Papas each contributed nine.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES
A seven-game winning streak in the series from 2015-18 has propelled Monmouth to an 11-7 advantage on the all-time ledger. Monmouth leads the MAAC series, 8-6, since 2014 with the Stags winning two non-conference meetings in the 1990s and each club owning a MAAC postseason victory over the other.
 
DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Supreme Cook's weekend against Marist (Jan. 7) and Siena (Jan. 9) made him the first Stag to post consecutive double-doubles since Jonathan Kasibabu had back-to-back double-doubles against Oakland (17 pts. 12 rebs.) and Old Dominion (13 pts., 15 rebs.) in the 2018-19 season.
 
Prior to Cook, the last Stag to register a double-double in consecutive MAAC games was Amadou Sidibe in against Rider (12 pts., 10 rebs.) and Quinnipiac (16 pts., 12 rebs.) during the 2016-17 campaign.
 
Cook has posted five double-doubles this season, including three in his last four appearances.
 
ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE NOTE
Cook's five total double-doubles this season are the most since Jonathan Kasibabu had six during the 2018-19 season. Other notable double-double performances include nine for Amadou Sidibe in 2016-17 and 11 for Rakim Sanders in the 2011-12 campaign.
 
UP NEXT
Thursday's game is Fairfield's last home outing before a three-game MAAC road swing featuring visits to Marist, Rider and the return trip to Monmouth.
 
The Stags will return to Webster Bank Arena for a six-game homestand beginning on Sunday, Feb. 6 against Siena.