Fairfield Stags men's basketball


The Fairfield Stags men's basketball team represents Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut and competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference of NCAA Division I. The Stags split their home games in the 9,500-seat, state-of-the-art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and in Alumni Hall back on the campus of Fairfield University. The team is currently coached by Jay Young, his first year at the helm.
The Stags have experienced post-season tournament action fourteen times having competed in the NAIA Tournament in 1951; the NCAA DII Tournament in 1960, 1961 and 1962; the National Invitational Tournament in 1973, 1974, 1978, 1996, 2003; and 2011 NIT; and the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1986, 1987 and 1997. In the 1973 National Invitation Tournament, the Stags advanced to the second round where the team lost by one point to eventual champion Virginia Tech. And in the 1997 NCAA Tournament, the Stags nearly achieved a historical upset of top-seeded North Carolina after leading the Tar Heels by seven points at halftime. The team also won the MAAC Regular Season Title in 1986 and the MAAC Championship Tournament in 1986, 1987 and 1997.
Individually, Joe DeSantis earned All-American honors in 1979; Darren Phillip was the nation's top rebounder averaging 14 rebounds per game in 2000; and Deng Gai was the nation's top shot blocker in 2005 averaging 5.5 blocks per game which ranks #5 on the NCAA's all-time blocked shot average list. Thirteen Stags have been either drafted or signed to play in the National Basketball Association.

History

Dawn of the Stags

Through the efforts of Rev. Victor Leeber, S.J., Fairfield University introduced men's basketball in 1948 and has played continuously since then. Fairfield played its first-ever game against Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, New York, losing 78-46, and won its first-ever game that season against Hillyer College, 47-37, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, at the Bridgeport Armory, Fairfield's original home court. During the 1950–51 season, under new Head Coach James Hanrahan, the program experienced its first winning season with a 16-11 record and received the school's first postseason berth in the 1951 NAIA National Men's Basketball Championship Tournament.

Red Stags rising

During the 1958–59 season Head Coach George Bisacca took over the program and proceeded to elevate the Stags to a higher level of success, experiencing only one losing season in 10 years. The Stags received three straight postseason berths to the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship Tournament between 1960 and 1962 and advanced to the second round in 1960 and 1961. On the heels of this postseason success, Fairfield upgraded the program to NCAA Division I beginning with the 1964–65 season. The 1965–66 team went 19–5 and became the first Fairfield team to be ranked in one of the national polls.

The Golden Barakat era

The most successful stretch of Fairfield basketball occurred under Head Coach Fred Barakat when the Stags received three berths in the post-season NIT in six years which was chronicled in the book, 25 Years Plus One: Recounting the Meteoric Rise of Fairfield Basketball, by Connecticut sportswriter, Don Harrison. During the 1972v73 season the Stags finished with an 18–9 overall record and were invited to the post-season NIT for the first time in the programs history. In the 1st round, Captain George Groom led the Stags to an 80–76 victory over Marshall University playing before 13,904 fans at Madison Square Garden. In the 2nd round, the Stags fell 76–77 to the eventual National Champion Virginia Tech Gobblers before more than 17,000 fans. The Stags followed up this success with a 17–9 overall record and a second invitation to the post-season NIT during the 1973–74 season. In the 1st round, Captain Richie O'Connor led the Stags to a 37–32 halftime lead before falling 65–66 to the University of Hawaii before 17,739 fans. The Stags returned to the post-season NIT for the third time during the 1977–78 season following the program's first 20 win season and a record point setting 123-108 victory over the then 14th ranked Holy Cross Crusaders. In the 1st round of the tournament, Junior Mark Young led the Stags with a 32 performance in a 93-108 losing effort to the Dayton Flyers.

Back to backs in the MAAC

Fairfield earned its first berth in NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 1986 after sweeping through the St. Peter's Peacocks, Iona Gaels and Holy Cross Crusaders en route to winning the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the Illinois Fighting Illini in the first round of Southeast Regional of the 1986 NCAA Tournament. The Stags featured five 1,000 point career scorers on this team including Tony George, Troy Bradford, Jeff Gromos, A. J. Wynder, and Pat Yerina. The Stags were coached by first year head coach Mitch Buonoguoro and ended the year with a 24-7 record, the most wins in school history.
The following season, Fairfield overcame an injured-plaqued season to mount an improbable run to its second consecutive MAAC Championship and to earn its second consecutive bid to the 1987 NCAA Tournament. The Stags defeated the LaSalle Explorer, Army Black Knights and needed the heroics of a last second shot by A. J. Wynder to help propel the Stags past the Iona Gaels in overtime and to the MAAC Championship. The Stags faced the top-seeded and eventual national champion Indiana Hoosiers in the first round of the Midwest Regional before 29,610 fans in the Hoosier Dome. Jeff Gromos led all Fairfield scorers with 21 points, followed by A. J. Wynder with 15 points.
During the 1995–96 season Head Coach Paul Cormier led the Stags to a 20–10 overall record, an appearance in the MAAC championship game and the program's fourth berth in the NIT. In the opening round of the NIT, the Stags played the Providence College Friars before 6,368 fans at the New Haven Coliseum. Led by Shannon Bowman the Stags held a 46–43 half time lead before eventually falling 78–69 to the Friars.
Picked to win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference in 1996–97, Fairfield suffered through an injury-plagued regular season and finished in last place. But the Stags made a Cinderella run in the MAAC tournament, defeating top seed Iona, St. Peter's and Canisius to capture the league's automatic berth in the 1997 NCAA Tournament despite an 11–18 record. Fairfield then gave top seeded North Carolina all it could handle in the first round of the East Region in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Stags opened a 37-28 lead early in the second half before their bid to become the first 16 seed to win a NCAA Tournament game fell 82–74. Stag legend Greg Francis '97 almost single-handedly upset the Tar Heels scoring 26 points including eight three-pointers. Following the game, legendary North Carolina coach Dean Smith said "I had to find Francis after the game but I couldn't shake his hand because it was so hot."

O'Toole time

In 2002, Stags basketball moved from the comfy confines of the on-campus Alumni Hall to the new state-of-the-art 9,500 seat Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut. During that same season, Head Coach Tim O'Toole '87 led the Stags to a 19–12 overall record, an appearance to the MAAC tournament championship game, and the program's fifth berth in the NIT. In the opening round of the NIT, Nick Delfico led the Stags with 14 points in a 90–78 losing effort to the Boston College Eagles before 6,500 fans at the arena. During 2004–05 season, Deng Gai '05 led the nation in shots blocked with 5.5 blocks per game and graduated as number eight on the NCAA's all-time blocked shots list.

Cooley and the Gang

On April 11, 2006, Ed Cooley became the program's eleventh Head Coach ushering in a new era of Stags basketball. During the first round of the 2010 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament the Stags overcame a 27-point deficit with 16:08 left to play to defeat George Mason in overtime, 101–96. The 27-point comeback is the biggest in Division I postseason history. The Stags were led by senior Mike Evanovich who finished with a career-high 32 points and a school record nine three-pointers including one with 0.9 seconds in regulation to send the game into overtime. Fellow senior Anthony Johnson led the Stags in overtime scoring 9 points and finished with 25 points in the game. And at the conclusion of the 2010 season, Coach Cooley received the inaugural 2010 Ben Jobe National Coach of the Year Award, presented annually to the top minority men's basketball coach in the nation, in recognition of his coaching the Stags through numerous injuries to a near school record 23-win season and Derek Needham was named a Freshman All-American. During the 2010–11 season, Fairfield won the MAAC regular season title and earned a berth in the 2011 NIT where the Stags beat the Colorado State Rams, 62-60, in the first round. Additionally, Coach Ed Cooley and sophomore Derek Needham earned recognition from the United States Basketball Writers Association with Cooley named the District I Coach of the Year and Needham selected to the District I-New England team.

Johnson era

In April 2011, Johnson accepted a head coaching position at Fairfield University, replacing Ed Cooley. He coached the 2011–12 Stags to the semifinals of the 2012 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament where they lost to Mercer, after defeating Yale, Manhattan and Robert Morris to finish with a 22-15 record. Mercer went on to win the tournament. For the second season in a row, he was a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award. The 2012–13 team started the season 10-10 before winning five consecutive and seven out of eight Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference games. The team then lost its two final conference games to finish 9-9 in conference. Eventually the team finished 19-15.

All-time head coaches

Postseason

NCAA Division I Tournament results

The Stags have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament three times. Their combined record is 0–3.
1986#13First Round#4 IllinoisL 51–75
1987#16First Round#1 IndianaL 58–92
1997#16First Round#1 North CarolinaL 74–82

NCAA Division II Tournament results

The Stags have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament three times. Their combined record is 2–4.
1960Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		Drexel
American		W 56–44
L 74–75
1961Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		Albright
Virginia Union		L 67–85
L 66–70
1962Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		Rochester
Northeastern		W 86–75
L 69–80

NIT results

The Stags have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament six times. Their combined record is 2–6.
1973First Round
Quarterfinals		Marshall
Virginia Tech		W 80–76
L 76–77
1974First RoundHawaiiL 65–66
1978First RoundDaytonL 93–108
1996First RoundProvidenceL 79–91
2003Opening RoundBoston CollegeL 78–90
2011First Round
Second Round		Colorado State
Kent State		W 62–60
L 68–72

CIT results

The Stags have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament five times. Their combined record is 4–5.
2010First Round
Quarterfinals		George Mason
Creighton		W 101–96OT
L 55–73
2012First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals		Yale
Manhattan
Robert Morris
Mercer		W 68–56
W 69–57
W 67–61
L 59–64
2013First RoundKent StateL 71–73
2016First RoundNew HampshireL 62–77
2017First RoundUMBCL 83–88

Awards

All-American

Career leaders

The following Stags play or played professional basketball across the globe:
PlayerClassTop LeagueTop Team
Tyler Nelson2018NBA G LeagueGreensboro Swarm
Amadou Sidibe2017HLA LucentumLEB Plata
Marcus Gilbert2016FC PortoLiga Portuguesa de Basquetebol
Maurice Barrow2014Austrian Basketball LeagueKlosterneuburg Dukes
Derek Needham2013Lega Basket Serie APallacanestro Reggiana
Sean Crawford2012Turkish Basketball First LeaguePertevniyal S.K.
Rakim Sanders2012Lega Basket Serie APallacanestro Olimpia Milano
Ryan Olander2012Lithuanian Basketball LeagueBC Šiauliai
Jonathan Han2011Polish Basketball LeagueŚląsk Wrocław
Terrence Todd2006Premier LeagueUCC Demons
Deng Gai2005National Basketball AssociationPhiladelphia 76ers
Rob Thomson2004Liga NaționalăCS Gaz Metan Mediaș
Ajou Deng2003British Basketball LeaguePAWS London Capitals
Darren Phillip2000Liga ACBUnicaja Málaga
Drew Henderson1993National Basketball AssociationBoston Celtics
Troy Bradford1990Spanish Basketball LeagueUPCT Basket Catagena
A. J. Wynder1987National Basketball AssociationBoston Celtics
Joe DeSantis1979Lega Basket Serie AReyer Venezia Mestre
Art Kenny1968Lega Basket Serie AOlimpia Milano

Stags in the NBA Draft

The following Stag players were selected in the National Basketball Association draft:
PlayerYearRoundTeam
Larry Rafferty196516thPhiladelphia 76ers
Bill Jones19687thPhiladelphia 76ers
Art Kenny196818thBaltimore Bullets
Rich O'Connor19748thKansas City-Omaha
Phil Rogers197410thBuffalo Braves
Danny Odums19766thBuffalo Braves
Steve Balkun19787thBoston Celtics
Kim Fisher19788thBoston Celtics
Joe DeSantis19792ndWashington Bullets
Mark Young19792ndLos Angeles Lakers
Pete DeBisschop19834thSeattle SuperSonics

Stags in coaching

The following Stags coached or are coaching basketball at the collegiate level:
NameClassPositionTeam
Joe DeSantis1979Head CoachQuinnipiac Bobcats
Greg Francis1997Head CoachAlberta Golden Bears
Pete Gillen1968Head CoachXavier Musketeers
James Hanrahan1952Head CoachFairfield Stags
Nick Macarchuk1963Head CoachFordham Rams
Luke Murray2007Assistant CoachXavier Musketeers
Tim O'Toole1987Assistant CoachCalifornia Golden Bears
Brendan Suhr1979Associate Head CoachLSU Tiger
Keith Urgo2002Associate Head CoachPenn State Nittany Lions
A. J. Wynder1987Head CoachNassau Community College

WVOF radio broadcasts

is the home of Fairfield Stags men's basketball. Men's basketball coverage is led play-by-play analyst Bob Heussler with color commentary from Stag basketball legend Joe DeSantis '79.