EDISON, N.J. – After leading Fairfield University Men's Basketball to a victory over Rider on Friday at Leo D. Mahoney Arena, Braden Sparks and Declan Wucherpfennig have earned weekly honors from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Sparks was named the MAAC Player of the Week for the second time this season, and Wucherpfennig was tabbed as the MAAC co-Rookie of the Week.
 
Sparks netted a team-leading 23 points in the win over Rider. He knocked down five three-pointers, including a crucial corner trey that doubled the lead into the final two minutes of the victory. Sparks also pulled down five rebounds and dished out a team-high three assists.
 
This season, Sparks is the MAAC's leading scorer at 18.2 points per game. He also leads the conference and ranks 25th nationally with 3.24 three-pointers her game. Sparks is second the MAAC with a .433 three-point percentage, good for 26th in the nation.
 
Wucherpfennig scored 14 of his 17 points after halftime in Friday's triumph. He shot 6-for-10 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free throw line. Wucherpfennig also hauled in 11 rebounds to complete his fourth double-double of the campaign.
 
The rookie forward averages 12.6 points per game this season and ranks second in the MAAC – behind only his teammate and classmate Brandon Benjamin – at 8.2 rebounds per outing. He is now a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week, this time sharing the honor with Siena's Francis Folefac.
 
The Stags dive into a stretch of three games in six days beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at Mahoney Arena against Manhattan.
 
Tickets for Wednesday's game are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.