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Posted at 11:25 AM EST.

3:30 PM EST. The general consensus among those that follow the MAAC is that Fairfield has greatly underachieved this season after nearly making it to the Dance last year. The Stags are 4-11 in conference and 7-20 overall after winning seven of its eight final games last year. In the conference tourney final, Fairfield would blow its opportunity to punch its ticket when they lost to Iona. Truth be told, they were a longshot to even make it to the final with a 17-16 overall record and 9-9 conference mark and this year they are much worse. The loss of perhaps the program’s best player ever (Tyler Nelson) along with his chief sidekick (Ferron Flavors) has been too much to overcome. The roster is loaded with imports and variability and it’s been ugly. KenPom has the Stags ranked 303 out of 353 teams.

If you read up on this game, you may discover that the Jaspers top two scorers are likely out. One is out for sure (Pauly Paulicap) while the other, Tyler Reynolds is questionable. What that means is an overreaction by a market that thinks the oddsmakers are clueless. Trust us when we tell you that they’re aware of whom is playing and whom is not. Coach Stevie Masiello – the Rick Pitino disciple -- has a solid history of success in the MAAC and it’s starting to come together for the Jaspers. Masiello plays a pressure-heavy defensive approach that thrives off turnovers, strangling opponents into constricted spaces with a variety of creative trapping schemes and turning those steals into instant offense on the other end. The strength of this team is in the frontcourt and defense and the payoffs are starting to come. Prior to losing to Iona in its ;last game as a mere 3½-point pooch, the Jaspers had reeled off five wins in seven games. This team cannot be a 3½-point dog to Iona and then be taking back a bigger price against the Stags. The Jaspers have won two straight on the road and they’re not taking a step up in class here.

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