WORCESTER, Mass. – This was the chance for someone like Fairfield to unseat Siena atop the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. The Saints aren’t dead, but they lost the core of their team to graduation and the guy who coached them, although an assistant on those teams is now running the program. Meanwhile, Fairfield has some things coming together that might make their selection by many as the preseason favorites in the conference look like a good one.
Fairfield’s 71-60 win at Holy Cross improves the Stags to 7-3 on the season. Included in that record is a 5-2 mark away from home, and during their current six-game winning streak four of the wins have come away from home. Less than 48 hours before the Stags beat Holy Cross, they went to Loudonville and took care of Siena in convincing fashion.
And as if that’s not enough, the personnel seems to be coming together more and more. The Stags have been hit by injuries and illness recently as well as in the last year, so there has been plenty of adjusting going on. That’s one more reason why the way they’re playing is a good sign.
“We’ve just been trying to find out who we are,” head coach Ed Cooley said. “Our personnel has changed so many times based on injuries and sickness and guys coming back into the fold. It’s a long year, and we’re just happy where we are right now from where we started.”
The injury and illness list isn’t a mile long, but it’s not far off. Last year, the Stags were without Warren Edney, who redshirted after missing the last month of the prior season due to an ankle injury. Greg Nero also missed the entire season due to a severe illness that required sinus surgery, and has sat the last two games because he hasn’t been feeling well. Yorel Hawkins missed the last 12 games of last season with a knee injury. Junior guard Sean Crawford had knee surgery earlier this month and is out indefinitely.
Adding to the personnel challenges is having to make up for who they lost from last season. While it was just two players, they were both keys to the team’s success: star forward Anthony Johnson and role player Mike Evanovich. Evanovich won the MAAC’s Sixth Player of the Year award, while Johnson was a first team All-MAAC selection and the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year. Losing both meant Nero needed to return to form, a challenge after not playing for a full season, and that a role player like Ryan Olander needed to improve.
Nero hasn’t returned to form yet, but Olander is having a nice season anchoring the post. The older brother of Connecticut freshman Tyler, he posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday. It was his third career double-double and third double-digit rebounding game in four outings.
“I think every game, Ryan is improving more and more and more,” Cooley said. “We’re trying to get him the ball as much as we can in his sweet spots.”
Hawkins’ return has helped immensely, and it was very visible on Sunday as he made several key plays in the second half, where he scored 13 of his 15 points. He was around the ball when he needed to be, including once when he stuck back a miss with a dunk. Hawkins has all-conference potential, and it’s more than just his numbers that make him important.
“It’s really big to have him back, especially a senior and to have his leadership,” said Olander. “He’s been around, he’s been here for three years. He’s got a lot of experience and he’s a great player, something you can’t replace.”
With all the personnel changes has come a challenge for last season’s star, sophomore Derek Needham. Needham’s scoring numbers are down and he’s shooting around 33 percent from the field, but it’s hard to say he’s having a major sophomore slump. Although he started the season with more turnovers than assists in the first three games, he’s reversed the numbers in every game since, including a 13-assist outing against Howard. He’s averaging 5.8 assists per game, and while his shooting struggles continued against Holy Cross, he had six more assists and added three steals.
Cooley isn’t sweating Needham’s shooting numbers, especially since the Stags have been winning all along.
“Now he’s adjusting with his personnel, and as he adjusts his shooting percentage will go up, and I think our overall team synergy will get better,” said the Fairfield mentor.
The Stags are off for final exams until December 20, then have two winnable home games and a tough test at Florida remaining before MAAC play starts in earnest. They are already 2-0 in MAAC play. Given what they have shown thus far, with wins away from home and dealing with personnel adjustments, they look well-positioned to make a run at a conference title.
