Fairfield Stags men's basketball

Fairfield Stags
2015–16 Fairfield Stags men's basketball team
University Fairfield University
Conference MAAC
Location Bridgeport, CT
Head coach Sydney Johnson (5th year)
Arena Webster Bank Arena
(Capacity: 9,500)
Nickname Stags
Colors Red[1]
    
Uniforms
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament appearances
1960*, 1961*, 1962*, 1986, 1987, 1997
(* at DII level)
Conference tournament champions
MAAC: 1986, 1987, 1997
Conference regular season champions
Tri-State: 1960, 1961, 1962
MAAC: 1986, 2011

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 play their home games in the 9,500-seat, state-of-the-art Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut and play two games per season in Alumni Hall back on the campus of Fairfield University. The team is currently coached by Sydney Johnson, the 2011 Ivy League Coach of the Year.

The Stags have experienced the thrill of 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 since played 59 continuous seasons of hoops through the 2007-08 season. Fairfield played its first-ever game against Brooklyn College in Brooklyn, NY, losing 46-78, and won its first-ever game that season against Hillyer College (now the University of Hartford), 47-37, in Bridgeport, CT at the Bridgeport Armory, Fairfield's original home court. During the 1950-1951 season, under new Head Coach James Hanrahan, the still fledgling program experienced its first winning season with a 16-11 overall record and received the school's first ever 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 experiencing only 1 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 2nd round in 1960 and 1961. On the heals of this postseason success, Fairfield upgraded the program up to Division 1 hoops during the 1964-1965 season. The following year, the 1965-66 team went 19-5 and became the first Fairfield team to be ranked in the UPI/AP Top 20 poll.[2]

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 1972-73 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 (22-5 overall) 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 (program's all-time leading scorer with 2006 points), Troy Bradford (1648 points), Jeff Gromos (1429 points), A.J. Wynder (1313 points, drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1987), and Pat Yerina (1255 points). 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."[3]

Interior of Webster Bank Arena

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, CT. During that same season, Head Coach Tim O'Toole '87 led the Stags to an 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 2004-2005 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 (former Boston College Eagles assistant coach) 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 (CIT) 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.[4] 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.[5] 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 (USBWA) with Cooley named the District I Coach of the Year and Needham selected to the District I-New England team.[6]

Johnson era

In April 2011, Johnson accepted a head coaching position at Fairfield University, replacing Ed Cooley.[7][8] 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.[9] Mercer went on to win the tournament.[10] For the second season in a row, he was a finalist for the Ben Jobe Award.[11] The 2012–13 team started the season 10–10 (2–6) 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 (9–9).[12]

All-time head coaches

Years Head Coach Record Postseason
1948–1949 Joe Dunn 9-14 -
1949–1950 Bob Noonan 5-16 -
1950–1958 James Hanrahan 82-79 1951 NAIB
1958–1968 George Bisacca 151-85 1960 NCAA, 1961 NCAA, 1962 NCAA
1968–1970 Jim Lynam 23-29 -
1970–1981 Fred Barakat 160-128 1973 NIT, 1974 NIT, 1978 NIT
1981–1985 Terry O'Conner 45-68 -
1985–1991 Mitch Buonaguro 72-103 1986 NCAA, 1987 NCAA
1991–1998 Paul Cormier 86-111 1996 NIT, 1997 NCAA
1998–2006 Tim O'Toole 112-120 2003 NIT
2006–2011 Ed Cooley 92 - 69 2010 CIT, 2011 NIT
2011– Sydney Johnson 2012 CIT, 2013 CIT, 2016 CIT
- Total 837–822 -

Postseason

NCAA Division I Tournament results

The Stags have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament three times. Their combined record is 0–3.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result/Score
1986 #13 First Round #4 Illinois L 51–75
1987 #16 First Round #1 Indiana L 58–92
1997 #16 First Round #1 North Carolina L 74–82

NCAA Division II Tournament results

The Stags have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament three times. Their combined record is 11–5.

Year Round Opponent Result/Score
1960 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals 		Drexel
American 		W 56–44
L 74–75
1961 Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game 		Albright
Virginia Union 		L 67–85
L 66–70
1962 Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals 		Rochester
Northeastern 		W 86–75
L 69–80

NIT results

The Stags have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) six times. Their combined record is 2–6.

Year Round Opponent Result/Score
1973 First Round
Quarterfinals 		Marshall
Virginia Tech 		W 80–76
L 76–77
1974 First Round Hawaiʻi L 65–66
1978 First Round Dayton L 93–108
1996 First Round Providence L 79–91
2003 Opening Round Boston College L 78–90
2011 First 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 (CIT) four times. Their combined record is 4–4.

Year Round Opponent Result/Score
2010 First Round
Quarterfinals 		George Mason
Creighton 		W 101–96OT
L 55–73
2012 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinals
Semifinals 		Yale
Manhattan
Robert Morris
Mercer 		W 68–56
W 69–57
W 67–61
L 59–64
2013 First Round Kent State L 71–73
2016 First Round New Hampshire L 62–77

Awards

All-American

  • Joe DeSantis (1979)
  • Troy Bradford (Pre-Season, 1988)
  • Derek Needham (Freshman, 2010)

National Coach of the Year

All-East

  • Robert Jenkins Sr. (1962)
  • Nick Macarchuk (1962, 1963)
  • Bill Jones (1968)
  • Joe DeSantis (1979)
  • Mark Young (1979)

All-New England

  • Bill Jones (1968)
  • Joe DeSantis (1978, 1979)
  • Mark Young (1979)
  • Tony George (1986)
  • Derek Needham (2011)

All-Metropolitan

  • Peter J. DeBisschop (1983)
  • Tony George (1984, 1985, 1986)
  • Troy Bradford (1988)
  • Drew Henderson (1992,1993)
  • Shannon Bowman (1997)
  • Darren Phillip (2nd, 2000)
  • Jermaine Clark (4th, 2000)
  • Jon Han (3rd, 2008)
  • Anthony Johnson (2nd, 2010)
  • Derek Needham (3rd, 2010)

League Coach of the Year

League Player of the Year

  • Tony George (MAAC, 1986)
  • Tyquawn Goode (Defensive, MAAC, 2004)
  • Deng Gai (Defensive, MAAC, 2002, 2003, 2005)
  • Anthony Johnson (Defensive, MAAC, 2010)
  • Derek Needham (Rookie, MAAC, 2010)
  • Mike Evanovich (Sixth Man, MAAC, 2010)

First Team All-League

All-time statistic leaders

Career leaders

  • Points Scored: Tony George (2006, 1982–86)
  • Scoring Average: George Groom (19.8, 1970–73)
  • Field Goals Made: Tony George (748, 1982–86)
  • Field Goal Percentage: Hank Foster (.582, 1978–82)
  • Assists: John Ryan (675, 1971–74)
  • Rebounds: Drew Henderson (1080, 1989–93)
  • Blocks: Deng Gai (444, 2002–05)
  • Free Throws Made: Mark Young (543, 1975–79)
  • Free Throw Percentage: Joe DeSantis (.849, 1975–79)
  • 3pt Field Goals Made: Derek Needham (277, 2010–13)
  • 3pt Field Goal Percentage: Mike Evanovich (.402, 2008–10)

Single-game leaders

  • Points Scored: George Groom (41, 1972)
  • Assists: John Ryan (23, 1973)
  • Rebounds: Art Crawford (28, 1960)
  • Blocks: Deng Gai (13, 2005)
  • Free throws made: Troy Bradford (21, 1988)
  • 3pt Field Goals Made: Mike Evanovich (9, 2010)

Single-season leaders

  • Points Scored: Troy Bradford (646, 1988)
  • Scoring Average: Troy Bradford (22.7, 1988)
  • Field Goals Made: Tony George (226, 1986)
  • Field Goal Percentage: Mark Young (.629, 1978)
  • Assists: John Ryan (301, 1974)
  • Rebounds: Darren Phillip (405, 2000)
  • Blocks: Deng Gai (165, 2005)
  • Free Throws Made: Mark Young (193, 1979)
  • Free Throw Percentage: Joe DeSantis (.892, 1977)
  • 3pt Field Goals Made: Mike Van Schaick (88, 2007)
  • 3pt Field Goal Percentage: Mike Evanovich (.471, 2010)

Stags in the NBA Draft

The following Stag players were selected in the National Basketball Association draft or signed as free agents:

Player Year Round Team
Larry Rafferty 1965 16th Philadelphia 76ers
Bill Jones 1968 7th Philadelphia 76ers
Art Kenny 1968 18th Baltimore Bullets
Rich O'Connor 1974 8th Kansas City-Omaha
Phil Rogers 1974 10th Buffalo Braves
Danny Odums 1976 6th Buffalo Braves
Steve Balkun 1978 7th Boston Celtics
Kim Fisher 1978 8th Boston Celtics
Joe DeSantis 1979 2nd Washington Bullets
Mark Young 1979 2nd Los Angeles Lakers
Pete DeBisschop 1983 4th Seattle Sonics
A. J. Wynder 1987 Free Agent Boston Celtics
Drew F. Henderson 1994 Free Agent Boston Celtics
Deng Gai 2005 Free Agent Philadelphia 76ers

Stags in coaching

WVOF radio broadcasts

WVOF 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.[13]

References

External links

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