Men's Basketball

Feb. 27, 2005

FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will enter the 2005 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) tournament as the number three seed. The Stags will play the winner of the Manhattan College-Loyola College game at 9:30 pm on Saturday night. The tournament takes place in Buffalo, N.Y., from March 4-7.

Fairfield finished the 2005 season with a 14-14 overall record and an 11-7 MAAC mark, including last Saturday's 67-59 win over Loyola College at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Head Coach Tim O'Toole led his team to a 3-1 record against the team's possible second-round opponents. The Stags split the season series with Manhattan, winning on November 30 at home. The team posted a season sweep against the Greyhounds.

The Stags are in the same bracket with second-seeded Rider University, seventh-seeded Canisius College, and eighth-seeded Marist College. The other side of the bracket includes top-seeded Niagara University, number four Saint Peter's College, number five Iona College, and number 10 Siena College.

Should Fairfield advance in the tournament, it would play in the second semi-final game which would begin at 4 pm. The MAAC championship game takes place next Monday at 9 pm. The title game is being televised by ESPN.

2005 MAAC Tournament Schedule

Friday, March 4
Game 1 - No. 5 Iona vs. No. 10 Siena - 4:30 pm
Game 2 - No. 7 Canisius vs. No. 8 Marist - 7pm
Game 3 - No. 6 Manhattan vs. No. 9 Loyola - 9:30 pm

Saturday, March 5
Game 4 - No. 4 Saint Peter's vs. Iona/Siena winner - 4:30 pm
Game 5 - No. 2 Rider vs. Canisius/Marist winner - 7 pm
Game 6 - No. 3 Fairfield vs. Manhattan/Loyola winner - 9:30 pm

Sunday, March 6
No. 1 Niagara vs. Game 4 winner - 2 pm
Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 4 pm

Monday, March 7
Championship Game - 9 PM (ESPN)