FAIRFIELD (0-2)Last Game: Hartford 66, Fairfield 61 on 12/2/20
Last Game with SBU: First-ever meeting
Checkmate Unofficial Line: Stony Brook -3
NET Ranking: TBD
KenPom Rating: Stony Brook 251, Fairfield 285
KenPom Prediction: Stony Brook 68, Fairfield 64
Watch: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=1068a043-b1b0-4f1e-aead-4f28598285b0Listen: http://tun.in/sepbSNotables:5-10/175 rjr G Caleb Green 11.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 3.5 apg
6-4/200 sr G Taj Benning 11.5 ppg, .500 3-pt FG%
6-5/210 sr G Jesus Cruz 9.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 1.0 spg
6-4/190 fr G Jalen Leach 8.0 ppg, 1.0 spg, .429 3-pt FG%
6-9/200 fr F Supreme Cook 7.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg
Jay Young returns. And you know he wants this one. And they, like us, could really use a W.
I watched the Hartford-Fairfield game on and off, and this feels like one that we should win. They have some decent pieces, but nobody who really jumps off the page. They have guys who can shoot it, but nobody who can
really shoot it. This is a team that shot 28 percent on their threes last year,
and their top two shooters graduated. Not that we're blessed with all these returnees, but I think we feel like Policelli and Rodriguez have a chance to be threats from three, maybe TSM.
Hartford also was able to drive to the hoop and score because ... yes, Fairfield has a little bit of size, but they're pretty lean inside overall. In particular, Austin Williams of Hartford went hard to the hole and scored frequently. No matter what Gueye does offensively, he's such a presence defensively, and the addition of Sayles inside is helpful too. I think we'll have good energy on the glass too.
That's actually a spot that we're lacking a little bit now – athletes like Olaniyi, Garcia, Yeboah, Latimer, Moor, etc., were replaced by guys with size who aren't necessarily going to take guys off the dribble. I think Rodriguez proved he could, but who are our athletes?Who defends the other team's best player? Is it Diallo? Greene? Habwe, who barely played? What kind of defensive chops do these guys have? I'm curious to see. From my angle, it seemed like Cruz was the toughest guy to check on Fairfield – older, built, and has shown to produce in the high teens and low 20s on occasion.
They might have a nice core group going forward, assuming they all stay (a big assumption). Cook's got a chance to be really good, and they have a kid Zach Crisler who played decent minutes at Rice before transferring closer to home – he'll sit out this year. I don't know what kind of leash Jay has there. It might be a long year – they were projected to finish eighth in the MAAC – but help seems to be on the way with these newcomers.
Worth noting: let's not be looking ahead two games into the season. StJ was a great add, but let's win this game first.
And BTW, how is this the first time that we have ever played Fairfield?
This one feels like a toss-up, but my guess is we eke it out somehow by winning the battle of the boards, a rebound effort from Gueye, and our new players backing up their solid performances in the opener.