BREAK'S OVER
Coming off its longest break from competition since the start of the 2025-26 season, Fairfield University Men's Basketball dives headfirst back into the MAAC slate with a Sunday, Feb. 15 visit to Saint Peter's. Opening tip from Run Baby Run Arena inside the Yanitelli Center is set for 2 p.m. on ESPN+.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Fairfield took home another nailbiter at Mahoney Arena last Saturday, this time dispatching visiting Marist, 63-60. Braden Sparks led all scorers with 20 points, and Brandon Benjamin posted his MAAC-best 13th double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Sparks's 20 points included four three-pointers, as he moved into a tie for eighth in a single-season with 78 treys.
 
The MAAC's leading rebounder, Benjamin has posted a double-double in all five wins of the Stags' current stretch. Tonight, he corralled four of his dozen from the offensive glass. Benjamin also blocked two shots and had three steals.
 
Declan Wucherpfennig filled out his stat line with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists. He played all 20 minutes of the second half and contributed 10 of his 14 after the intermission on 4-for-5 shooting.
 
All 10 of Fairfield's bench points came courtesy of Deuce Turner. Tony Williams rounded out the scoring with six points in the form of back-to-back three-pointers to open the second half. Williams also distributed a team-leading four assists.
 
COACH CASEY ON MARIST
"This is what MAAC basketball is like as you get deeper into the season. It's about the fight and guys making plays. We put ourselves in a position to play from out in front tonight, and then we made enough plays to come away with the win."
 
SEVEN-TIME ROOKIE, ONE-TIME PLAYER, FULL-TIME BALLER
After leading Fairfield in both ends of a 2-0 week of MAAC action, Brandon Benjamin has been recognized by the conference as its Player and Rookie of the Week. Benjamin won Rookie of the Week for the seventh time in 2025-26 and claimed his first Player of the Week nod.
 
For the week, Benjamin averaged 19.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in victories over Sacred Heart and Marist. Benjamin shot 16-for-23 (.696) from the floor and converted seven of his 10 free throw attempts. The rookie sensation pulled down eight of his 27 rebounds from the offensive glass and filled out his weekly statsheet with five blocks, three assists, and three steals.
 
Derek Needham won a Fairfield record 10 MAAC Rookie of the Week Awards in 2009-10. The conference record of 11 Rookie of the Week honors belongs to Siena's Jalen Pickett, now of the Denver Nuggets.
 
EVERY POSSESSION MATTERS
Fairfield holds an 11-5 record in one possession games under Head Coach Chris Casey and has won its last seven contests decided by three points or less.
 
The Stags are 25-13 in all games under Casey that were decided by either one or two possessions (six points or fewer).
 
THE SAINT PETER"S UNIVERSITY PEACOCKS
After a 78-71 loss on Friday at Sacred Heart, the Saint Peter's Peacocks stand at 14-9 overall and 11-4 in the MAAC. SPU is 11-1 at home with nine consecutive wins inside Run Baby Run Arena.
 
Brent Bland leads a balanced Saint Peter's offense with 14.3 points per game. Bland is one of the MAAC's top deep threats with 62 made triples on .363 shooting from three-point range.
 
The Peacocks are the MAAC's top offensive rebounding team, ranking eighth in the nation wiht 14.26 offensive boards per game.
 
EARLIER THIS SEASON
After 11 ties and nine lead changes on Dec. 29 at Mahoney Arena, Fairfield was on the short side of a 70-66 final against visiting Saint Peter's. Braden Sparks netted a game-high 22 points for the Stags.
 
Sparks shot 7-for-15 from the field with a 5-for-8 day from three-point range.
 
Brandon Benjamin returned from a one-game hiatus and delivered 21 points along with 11 rebounds. Declan Wucherpfennig was just short of his second consecutive double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Rounding out the scoring, Tony Williams had five points, Deuce Turner scored four, and Halon Rawlins netted three.
 
Bryce Eaton led Saint Peter's with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Brent Bland added 14 points and eight boards for the Peacocks, and Zaakir Williamson tallied a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.
 
US AND THEM
Fairfield is 65-68 all-time against its most frequent opponent, dating back to 1951.
 
SECOND TIME AROUND
The Stags are 4-0 this season when playing an opponent for the second time.
 
To date, Fairfield has earned a home-and-home sweep of Niagara and took the back half of series splits with Manhattan, Canisius, and Marist.
 
REBOUNDING ROOKIES
Brandon Benjamin has extended his Fairfield freshman rebounding record to 265 boards and counting. He is only the third true freshman Stag to grab 200+ rebounds in a campaign. Teammate Declan Wucherpfennig is just four rebounds short of joining him on that ledger.
 
LET THE SPARKS FLY
Braden Sparks ranks third in the MAAC in scoring at 17.5 points per game. With 454 total points, he is 56 points shy of only the 23rd 500-point campaign in 78 seasons of Fairfield Men's Basketball.
 
Sparks' 78 three-pointers slot him eighth in a single-season in Fairfield history.
 
(NEARLY) ALL NUTMEG
Fairfield will only leave the State of Connecticut once from February 1 to the end of the regular season. During that span, the Stags play eight MAAC games -- five at Mahoney Arena and road games at Sacred Heart (Fairfield), Saint Peter's (Jersey City), and Quinnipiac (Hamden).
 
FRIDAYS ARE FOR THE STAGS
Up next, the Stags return to Leo D. Mahoney Arena to host Sacred Heart on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.