MAAC opener vs. Iona on Wednesday in AH

[FU73]

The Stags (3-1) and Iona (1-5) open their MAAC season in Alumni Hall on Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
pbs.twimg.com/media/CVO5ZGhUYAAqNvL.jpg

The game is available as a $5.95 pay per view video webcast.

The Stags were picked #1 and Iona was picked #4 in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Iona Roster:
www.icgaels.com/SportSelect.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=14900&SPID=7100&SPSID=64329

THE IONA SCOUTING REPORT: The Gaels are not the same team they were last season after graduating all-time leading scorer Damika Martinez, who also was 44th in NCAA history with 2,581 career points. To come up with the scoring, the Gaels are looking for other players to step up this sea- son. Point guard Marina Lizarazu currently leads the team with 14.2 points per game and 3.5 assists per contest. The star for the Gaels once again is MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Joy Adams who recently became the MAAC all-time rebounding leader with over 1,200 in her career. This season, Adams is averaging 14.0 points and 8.7 boards per contest. Iona has played a very challenging non-conference schedule with games against VCU, UNC, Yale, and USC, which explains some of their statistics including 18.5 turnovers per game and a 3-point shooting percentage of .234.

FAIRFIELD - Iona
Scoring: 247 - 344
Per Game: 61.8 - 57.3
Scoring Margin: +6.6 - -7.5
Scoring Defense: 55.2 - 64.8
Field Goals-Att: 94-218 - 133-359
Field Goal Pct.: .431 - .370
Field Goal Defense: .348 - .401
3-Pt FG-Att: 12-42 - 29-124
3-Pt FG Pct.: .286 - .234
3-Pt FG Per Game: 3.0 - 4.8
3-Pt FG Defense: .296 - .247
Free Throws: 47-68 - 49-69
FT Pct.: .691 - .710
FT Made Per Game: 11.8 - 8.2
Rebounds: 149 - 226
Rebounds Per Game: 37.2 - 37.7
Rebound Margin: +2.7 - -0.7
Assists: 54 - 65
Per Game: 13.5 - 10.8
Turnovers: 60 - 111
Per Game: 15.0 - 18.5
Margin: +0.0 - -3.3
Assist/TO Ratio: 0.9 - 0.6
Steals: 23 - 39
Per Game: 5.8 - 6.5
Blocks: 16 - 15
Per Game: 4.0 - 2.5
Win/Loss Streak: L1 - L1

Game Notes:
www.nmnathletics.com/pdf9/4199608.pdf

Live Video:
www.fairfieldstags.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?&DB_OEM_ID=32500

Live Stats:
www.nmnathletics.com/liveStats/liveStats.dbml?SPSID=810781&SPID=137825&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=32500&LIST_SPORT_KEY=W_BASKETBALL

[FU73]

Stags down 18-7 at the end of the First Quarter shooting only 17.6% FG 3/17

Iona's Joy Adams with 10 points and 10 boards.

[FU73]

Stags down 31-18 at home in AH at the half shooting only 28.6% FG 8/28 and 0/5 3 ptrs.

Iona's Joy Adams with 14 points and 14 rebounds.

Kelsey Carey with 0 points on 0/1 FG and 2 fouls and played only 4 minutes in the half.
Sam Cooper with 3 points on 1/5 FG
Lizzie Ball with 4 points on 2/7 FG
Kristin Schatzlein 0/3 FG
Casey Smith with 2 points on 1/5 FG

It will be interesting to see what Stag team comes out in the last two quarters of the game? Joe Frager can't be happy.

[FU73]

Stags start the 3rd Quarter on an 14-4 run.

[FU73]

Stags down 47- 39. Outscore Iona 21/16 in the third quarter.

Iona's Joy Adams with 16 points and 18 boards.

[FU73]

Stags go scoreless in the first 3 minutes of the final quarter.

[FU73]

Stags with no FG and only 2 FT in the first 8.5 minutes of the final quarter and shooting only 28% FG 14/50 for the game.

Iona with a 43/32 rebound advantage

[FU73]

Stags (3-2)(0-1) lose 56-46. before a box score attendance of only 213.

Stags start the game flat in the first quarter and end it flat in the final quarter. Shooting only 28.1% FG is not going to win many games. A disappointing MAAC loss at home in AH and the second in a row.

Stags score only 7 points with only 2 FG in the final quarter and outscored 9/7.

Iona's Joy Adams with 16 points and 23 boards.

Kristen Schatzlein with 11 points and 6 boards
Kristin Miller with 7 points and 5 boards
Sam Cooper with 6 points and 7 boards
Lizzie Ball with 8 points and 2 boards

A tough night shooting for the Stags:
Sam Cooper 1/10 FG
Casey Smith 1/8 FG
Kristen Schatzlein 4/10 FG
Lizzie Ball 3/13 FG
Kelsey Carey 2/5 FG
Casey Foley 1/4 FG



STAGS
Score 46
Field Goals 28.1%(16-57)
3-Point FGs 25%(3-12)
Free Throws 68.8%(11-16)
Rebounds 36(15-21)
Steals 8
Blocks 3
Assists 8
Turnovers 11

IONA
Score 56
Field Goals 41%(25-61)
3-Point FGs 21.1%(4-19)
Free Throws 25%(2-8)
Rebounds 47(18-29)
Steals 7
Blocks 4
Assists 10
Turnovers 14

In doesn't get any easier as Marist comes to AH on Sunday, December 6 at 2:00 pm.

[FU73]

“It’s obvious there’s a huge difference in how we came out in the La Salle game and how we came out against Sacred Heart, Hofstra, and tonight,” senior guard Lizzy Ball said. “We have to practice hard and we have to straighten our heads and figure it out together. The best thing we can do is stay together.”...

“I feel we had confidence,” Ball said about the difference in the quarter. “If we make a mistake and stay together and stay positive then our energy stays up.”...

“I think I’m getting back to the way I was before,” Schatzlein said. “The was definitely a hard injury to come back from. I think I’m getting in the rhythm again.”...

“We need to come out with energy,” Ball said. “And just believe in ourselves.”

The Stags dropped their first MAAC opener at home since 2001.

Joe Frager and his coaching staff can't be happy after the last two games. The Stags started both the SHU game down 18-5 and the Iona game down 18-5 and finished the Iona game with only 2 FG in the final quarter. As Lizzie Ball states there is a problem in how this team has started the last three games and the lack of energy and urgency, especially on their home court. Hopefully the killer instinct and toughness of Tara Flaherty and Gail Strumpf (no longer coaching) will show itself in AH on Sunday against Marist and the team will "straighten their heads out" and be ready to play? After Marist on Sunday comes Albany (5-1) on Wednesday.