Fairfield University Men's Basketball plays the middle contest of a three-game-in-five-day stretch, traveling to Siena to challenge the reigning MAAC Regular Season Champion Saints. Opening tip-off from the newly-named MVP Arena in Albany is slated for 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 9.

LAST TIME OUT
Fairfield held visiting Marist scoreless for a nine-minute stretch during Friday's MAAC game at Webster Bank Arena, turning a 32-19 deficit into a 35-35 deadlock. But the Red Foxes made the contest's last run, pulling away to claim a 60-51 decision.
 
Fairfield was playing its first game following a two-week layoff from competition, only returning to full team practices on Monday due to Covid protocols. Marist entered the game without two starters due to their own Covid-related concerns.
 
Jake Wojcik paced the Stags offensively with 14 points, including three of Fairfield's six three-pointers on the day. Supreme Cook joined him in double figures with 13 points and matched his career high with 14 boards to register his third double-double of the season.

Zach Crisler also corralled seven rebounds and split the team high in assists and he and Caleb Green each distributed three helpers.

I AM IRON MAN
When Jesus Cruz checks into Sunday's game, he will tie Colin Nickerson with a program-record 138th appearance as a Fairfield Stag.

Taj Benning will take the court for the 127tth time on Sunday. If he plays every game the rest of the way, he will likely finish second behind only Cruz in total games played as a Stag.
 
THE SIENA COLLEGE SAINTS AT A GLANCE
Siena will be playing its first game since Dec. 11 -- a 72-59 win over Holy Cross to improve to 4-6. The Saints are also 1-1 in the conference with an overtime loss to Manhattan and a two-point win at Saint Peter's. Siena also owns wins over Harvard and Army West Point.

Colby Rogers and Jackson Stormo lead the Saints offensively with 13.5 and 11.1 points per game, respectively. Stormo also ranks sixth in the MAAC in rebounding with 7.0 boards per contest.

THE SAINTS IN 2020-21
Siena won a share of the MAAC Regular Season Championship and earned the top seed at the conference tournament with a 12-4 record. The Saints drew ninth-seeded Iona in the quarterfinals and saw their season come to an end at the hands of the eventual champs with a 12-5 mark.

LAST MEETING: SIENA 75, FAIRFIELD 68 (1/10/2021)
Siena was one of just two MAAC teams to sweep the Stags last season, finishing off the back-to-back wins at Alumni Hall with a 75-68 victory on Jan. 10, 2021.

Aidan Carpenter paced the Saints with 19 points, and MAAC Player of the Year Manny Camper turned in a gaudy statline with 17 points, 12 rebounds and six assists.

Jake Wojcik led Fairfield with 18 points, and Jesus Cru came off the bench to tally 14.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Siena has won six straight and nine of the last 11 meetings to hold a 44-32 lead in an all-time series that dates back to 1959. Fairfield's best run in the series came from 1995-98, winning seven of eight encounters. The Stags' last win in Albany came in 2018 as a part of a home-and-home series sweep for Fairfield.

STAGS VS. DEFENDING CHAMPS
Fairfield last defeated the reigning MAAC Regular Season Champion in 2017-18, sweeping both ends of the series from Monmouth. Like the Saints this season, the Hawks were the two-time reigning regular season champs.

UP NEXT
The Stags return to Webster Bank Arena on Tuesday, Jan. 11 for a rescheduled 2 p.m. matinee against Iona.