THE OPENING TIP
Fairfield University Men's Basketball heads to Jersey City for a rematch of the 2024 MAAC Championship Game on Friday at Saint Peter's. Opening tip-off on Valentine's Day in the only scheduled meeting between the Stags and Peacocks this season is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

LAST TIME OUT
Fairfield erased a 14-point deficit to head into halftime tied with Sacred Heart on Saturday night at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. But after six ties and four lead changes following the intermission, it was the visiting Pioneers who made the final surge to take a 77-71 decision. Prophet Johnson and Braden Sparks each scored 18 for the Stags before a sold-out crowd of 3,470 fans.

Johnson was 8-for-12 from the floor en route to his 18 points. The junior completed his fifth double-double of the season with 10 rebounds and chipped in defensively with two steals. Braden Sparks set a new career high with his 18 points, knocking down four three-pointers. Deon Perry was the third Stag in double figures with 12.

The Stags went just eight players deep in the contest, seven of whom chipped in to the scoring. Louis Bleechmore filled out his statline with eight points, five rebounds and two blocks. Jamie Bergens had six points, four boards and a team-high four assists. Peyton Smith contributed five points and seven rebounds, and Isaac Munkadi had two points, five caroms and a block.
 
Sacred Heart had four players in double figures, fueled by 20 apiece for Mekhi Conner and Nyle Ralph-Beyer with each rookie knocking down four three-pointers. Amiri Stewart had 17 points for the visiting Pioneers, and Tanner Thomas scored 14 points with 10 rebounds.
 
COACH CASEY ON THE SACRED HEART GAME
"We made a few defensive miscues that led to some open three-pointers – and credit to Sacred Heart for converting on those – and left some points at the rim. And that was enough to make up the difference in a very hard-fought game."

THE SAINT PETER'S UNIVERSITY PEACOCKS
The reigning MAAC Champion and winner of two of the last three MAAC Tournaments, Saint Peter's is 7-13 overall and 2-10 in the MAAC. Most recently, the Peacocks were on the short side of an 84-83 overtime loss at Manhattan to suffer their fifth consecutive defeat.

Saint Peter's ranks 10th in the MAAC in scoring with 65.8 points per game scored and third defensively with 65.8 points per game allowed. Individually, Marcus Randolph ranks ninth in the MAAC in scoring with 14.9 points per game.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Saint Peter's took a 66-65 lead in the all-time series with the victory in the MAAC Championship Game last March. The Peacocks are Fairfield's most common opponent with 131 meetings to date between the two squads.

The Stags have swept the regular season series in each of the last two campaigns but have fallen to the Peacocks in the MAAC postseason in three consecutive seasons.

MAYBE IN MARCH?
Fairfield has completed its regular season series with Merrimack, Canisius (one game), Niagara (one game) and Marist.

Meanwhile, the Stags are yet to see conference foes Saint Peter's or Siena. Fairfield will not go head-to-head with the Saints until March 6 in the penultimate game of the regular season.

STAYING CLOSE TO HOME
Fairfield will play three of its last seven regular season games at Mahoney Arena, and four of the remaining seven within the state of Connecticut.

PACK THE LEO
The crowd of 3,470 at Leo D. Mahoney Arena for last Saturday's game against Sacred Heart was the largest of the season for the Stags. It was the eighth time in the three-year history of Mahoney Arena that Fairfield Men's Basketball drew a crowd of over 3,000 fans.

BUZZER BEATERS, CLOSE GAMES AND OTHER RELEVANT INFO
Deon Perry's 70-foot buzzer beater to stun Marist on Feb. 6 was Fairfield's second game-winner in the closing seconds this season. Previously, Peyton Smith tipped in the winning bucket with 1.6 seconds to go in the Dec. 4 win over Rider.

The last Fairfield game-winner with all zeroes on the clock was Tyler Nelson's three-pointer from near midcourt to sink Canisius in Buffalo on Feb. 24, 2017.

Unofficially, the basket was the longest game-winning shot in Fairfield Men's Basketball history (and possibly the longest made basket overall in program history). Unscientific research says that the last Stags' game-winner from beyond half court was delivered by Marvin Walters to beat host Manhattan, 108-105, in triple overtime on Feb. 27, 1988.

Fairfield's last win when trailing in the final minute was an overtime victory over The Mount on Feb. 12, 2023, when the Stags scored the last seven points of regulation before getting the win in the extra session.

Fairfield had not won in regulation after trailing in the last minute since Dec. 8, 2022, when Caleb Fields had the game-tying and game-winning baskets to down Sacred Heart, 61-59. Coincidentally, the Stags also scored the last seven points of regulation in that contest.

UP NEXT
Action returns to Mahoney Arena onSunday, Feb. 16 as the Stags host Manhattan at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.