FAIRFIELD, Conn. – For the fifth time in the last seven seasons, the Fairfield University men's basketball team will go to the postseason. The Stags have accepted an invitation to the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament and will host the University of New Hampshire on Wednesday, March 16 at Alumni Hall. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
Tickets are on-sale now through FairfieldStags.com/TIX. General admission tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children 12 and under. Fans can also purchase a Family Pack with four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks for $40 (a $50 value). All tickets and vouchers can be picked up in the lobby of Alumni Hall on gameday. All current Fairfield students, faculty and staff will receive one FREE ticket with a valid StagCard.
In addition, a limited number of courtside seats are available. Please contact the Fairfield Athletics Ticket Office at StagsTickets@fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4136 to purchase courtside seating.
Fairfield Basketball season ticket holders and Friends of Fairfield Basketball will receive additional information on promotional ticket packages and Wednesday's exclusive pre-game reception.
"We are excited to have Fairfield University in the 2016 College Insider Tournament,” said Angelo Lento, co-founder of CollegeInsider.com. “Sydney Johnson's Stags finished the season strong and Marcus Gilbert is one of the best kept secrets in college basketball."
Head Coach Sydney Johnson led his squad to a 19-13 record following its semifinal appearance in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament last weekend. The program has won 19 or more games in three of Johnson's five seasons at the helm, but this year's team has earned national recognition for its single-season turnaround.
“I am incredibly proud of our team for earning an invitation to the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament,” Coach Johnson said. “Our guys accomplished the fourth best turnaround in the country and did so working relentlessly and cohesively as a group. The more we accomplish together the brighter our future looks.”
The team has ranked consistently in the top five nationally for best turnaround this year, going from seven wins a year ago to 19 victories this season. Fairfield's turnaround came about through the leadership and play of All-MAAC performers Marcus Gilbert and Tyler Nelson as well as Curtis Cobb who secured All-Rookie honors following the regular season.
Gilbert leads the team in scoring with 17.0 points per game, which places fifth in the conference. Nelson is not far behind with his 15.9 points per game, a number that ranks eighth in the MAAC. Cobb also resides among the MAAC's top scorers with 11.1 points per contest which is good enough for 27th in the conference. With this trio's scoring prowess, Fairfield rates fourth in the conference with 76.9 points per game.
New Hampshire will enter the CIT with a 19-12 overall record after reaching the America East semifinals, falling to Vermont by a 63-56 score. The Wildcats won eight of their final 11 games including a split in the conference tourney. This team scored 80 or more points in nine games and won all of those decisions including a 100-66 decision over Worcester State.
Tanner Leissner leads the team in scoring with his 16.0 points per game which places third in America East. He was named to the All-Tournament team after averaging 21 points and 10.5 rebounds in the two games played by the Wildcats. Jaleen Smith is next in line with 13.1 points per game contest after averaging 15.4 points per game over the team's last six games.
The Stags will play in the CIT for the third time under Coach Johnson and fourth time overall, posting a 4-3 record in those three previous appearances. Fairfield advanced to the CIT semifinals by defeating Yale, Manhattan, and Robert Morris before falling to Mercer in the 2012 version. One year later, the team received a bid to the 2013 CIT but lost in the first round against Kent State.
Fairfield's first appearance came in the 2010 CIT and it was historic as it set a NCAA postseason record by overcoming a 27-point second-half deficit to defeat George Mason University 101-96 in overtime. The team dropped its quarterfinal game a few days later, a 73-55 setback at Creighton.
