NO PLACE LIKE HOME (FOR THE HOLIDAYS)
Fairfield University Men's Basketball will play three of its next four games inside Leo D. Mahoney Arena beginning with a Sunday, Dec. 14 visit from Monmouth. Opening tip live on ESPN+ is set for 2 p.m. with John Brickley and Fairfield Hall of Famer Joe DeSantis '79 on the call.
 
TICKETS
Tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.
 
GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS

• Sunday Funday: Enjoy Family Friendly Sundays with the Stags, including a face painter, free photos with Santa, post-game shoot around and concession specials at Mahoney Arena
• Santa Claus Is Coming to Mahoney Arena: Get your free photos with Santa on the concourse
• Season Ticket Holder Appreciation Game: Season Ticket Holders will enjoy exclusive perks, special giveaways, and recognition throughout the game as a thank you for your continued support.

LAST TIME OUT
Fairfield rallied to cut a 24-point deficit down to just one point on Sunday afternoon at Merrimack, but the host Warriors held on and pulled away to close out a 74-63 final. Braden Sparks scored 21 points to lead four Stags in double figures.
 
The 21 points for Sparks complete his third consecutive 20-point game and his fifth of the season. He knocked down five of Fairfield's seven three-pointers.
 
Brandon Benjamin posted his third double-double with 17 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, including eight from the offensive glass. Tony Williams came off the bench to contribute 13 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
Declan Wucherpfennig had 10 points, five rebounds, and three assists, and Eirc Mejia rounded out the scoring with two points.
 
Halon Rawlins did not factor into the scoring but contributed to the Stags' 38-28 lead on the glass with five boards in 19 minutes off the bench.
 
COACH CASEY ON MERRIMACK
"I thought we showed some fight after a bad start, but you have to be ready to play hard from the opening tip-off. We found the guys that wanted to do that midway through the first half and went with them for the rest of the game. They fought hard to bring us back."
 
LET THE SPARKS FLY
Sunday's game was Braden Sparks' third consecutive 20-point effort and fifth time eclipsing the 20-point mark this season. He enters the weekend leading the MAAC with 17.2 points per game.
 
THE MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY HAWKS
Monmouth most recently dropped a 79-67 decision at Georgia Tech to fall to an even 5-5 on the season. The Hawks' trips away from home also include losses at La Salle, Seton Hall, and Syracuse, as well as a 2-1 weekend at the Lafayette Classic that featured a loss to Le Moyne sandwiched in between wins over Ball State and the host Leopards.
 
King Rice's squad is 3-0 in games played down the shore with victories over Division II Caldwell, Robert Morris, and Princeton.
 
Jason Rivera-Torres leads three Hawks scoring in double figures with 14.6 points per game along with 8.1 rebounds per contest. Stefanos Spartalis adds 13.0 points per contest and Justin Ray chips in 12.7 points per game. Jack Collins is Monmouth's top facilitator with 4.7 assists per outing.
 
US AND THEM
The Stags are 7-14 all-time against Monmouth. Last season's meeting in West Long Branch was the first between Fairfield and the Hawks since Monmouth exited the MAAC to join the CAA.
 
DECLAN'S DAY
Declan Wucherpfennig recorded his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and a career-high 19 rebounds last Friday at Manhattan.
 
His 19 rebounds were the most by a Stag since Amadou Sidibe corralled 19 boards in a 2016 win over Army. The nine offensive boards for Wucherpfennig are the most for a Fairfield player since Prophet Johnson had 10 last season at Monmouth.
 
DOUBLE DOUBLE-DOUBLES
Brandon Benjamin (16 pts., 10 rebs.) and Declan Wucherpfennig (12 pts., 14 rebs.) both posted a double-double in the Nov. 30 win over New Hampshire. They are the first Fairfield teammates to each record a double-double in the same game since March 10, 2021, when Taj Benning (24 pts., 12 rebs.) and Supreme Cook (11 pts., 14 rebs.) led the Stags to a MAAC Championship Semifinal win over Monmouth.
 
POST PRESENCE
Brandon Benjamin and Declan Wucherpfennig rank first and third in MAAC with 9.5 and 8.1 boards per game, respectively. They also top the conference in offensive rebounds per game, with Benjamin corralling 4.30 (9th in the nation) and Wucherpfennig pulling in 2.80.
 
Benjamin is also second in the MAAC in blocks (1.60/game) and field goal percentage (54.9%).
 
STAYING IN STATE
Non-conference play continues Thursday, Dec. 18 with a trip to New Britain to visit Central Connecticut State.
 
The Blue Devils are 5-4, including a 3-0 mark at Detrick Gym, with a trip to Binghamton on tap for Saturday before welcoming the Stags next week.