Feb. 28, 2005
FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Deng Gai (Sudan) and Terrence Todd (Neptune, N.J.) earned a spot on the All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) post-season teams, as the conference announced its annual awards. Gai received a berth on the All-MAAC first team, while Todd picked up All-MAAC second team honors. As a first-team member, Gai is eligible for the MAAC Player of the Year award, which will be determined by vote of the conference coaches. The other Player of the Year candidates include All-MAAC first teamers Greg Jenkins of Iona, Peter Mulligan of Manhattan, Juan Mendez of Niagara, Jerry Johnson of Rider, and Keydren Clark of Saint Peter's.
Gai makes his second appearance on the All-MAAC first team, also collecting the honor following the 2002-03 campaign. He was named to the All-MAAC pre-season first team as well for 2004-05. The forward currently leads NCAA Division I with 5.7 blocks per game, and places eighth all-time in Division I with 439 career blocks. His 160 blocks this season ties him with Georgetown's Alonzo Mourning for ninth on the single-season list.
He has recorded 10 double doubles this season, including a triple double against Loyola College with 19 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks. Gai enters the MAAC tournament with a 13.8 scoring average, and a team-best 8.4 rebounding average.
Todd enjoys his first All-MAAC post-season honor, after garnering pre-season All-MAAC third team accolades before the 2004-05 season. The guard leads the Stags in scoring with a 15.9 scoring average, and places third among his teammates with five rebounds per contest. Todd has been the team's leading scorer or co-leader in 14 of 28 games this year. He enters the MAAC tournament needing just 28 points to reach 1,000 for his career.
The Fairfield University men's basketball team (14-14 overall), under the guidance of Head Coach Tim O'Toole, enters the 2005 MAAC tournament as the number three seed. The Stags have been a top-three seed in each of the last three years, and advanced to the 2003 MAAC tournament championship game. The team plays its first game of the tourney on March 5 at 9:30 pm against the winner of sixth-seeded Manhattan College and ninth-seeded Loyola College game. The tournament takes place at HSBC Arena in Buffalo, N.Y.
