Fairfield recently faced two teams ranked in the top 25 in the country, No. 15 UConn and No. 23 Georgetown, as well as a top SEC team Mississippi.
Then there was Loyola of Chicago, a team picked to win its conference.
After six games in nine days the men’s basketball team’s record is 1-7, with their only win coming against Central Arkansas in the final game of the Hispanic College Fund Classic.
Fortunately, the team has improved with each game played. Although the team won against Central Arkansas, they allowed a late game comeback that nearly cost them the victory.
Head Coach Ed Cooley feels that the tough schedule has helped the team improve. “The schedule helped us identify our weaknesess in a short period of play,” Cooley said, “We had an opportunity in some games and were in the position to win.”
With freshman Greg Nero, who is averaging 15 points per game, and Michael Van Schaick ’07, who is averaging nine per game, leading the way, the team has the talent to compete with top level opponents.
“I definitely feel that we have made progress from our first practice and our first game, but we need to turn our progress into wins,” Van Schaick said.
The Stags gave themselves a chance to win during both games, but could not prevent the tough opponents from pulling away in the end.
Fairfield trailed Georgetown by four heading into halftime, but a 17-2 run allowed the Hoyas to pull away and finish with a 73-60 win. Van Schaick, who started the season slowly, has picked up his scoring over the past two games, while Nero has been slowed by foul trouble and pressure from the opponent’s defense. Van Schaick scored a team high 14 points against Georgetown and a career high 23 points during the Loyola of Chicago game.
Van Schaick’s performance was not enough, as the Stags fell 83-72 to the Ramblers. The Stags were once again close to pulling out a win, as they cut a 15 point Loyola lead down to seven.
However, they allowed their opponents to go on a second-half run, as the Ramblers pulled ahead by 12 with seven minutes remaining in the game.
The Stags’ defense has been shaky at times, allowing Loyola to shoot 64.3 percent from the floor on Saturday. Fairfield has also struggled to convert on opportunities from the free throw line, going 11-18 from the line on Saturday and shooting 68 percent on the season.
The Stags’ have turned the ball over 121 times on the season, while forcing opponents to turn the ball over 117 times, averaging 17.3 turnovers a game.
Fairfield is still learning to play under Cooley’s coaching and is a team filled with inexperienced players.
“We need to focus more on offense and understand how to play when calls are made,” Cooley said. “We need to know how to play within a play.”
Senior Marty O’Sullivan, who missed most of last season because of an ankle injury, has stepped up and has contributed through both his passing and rebounding abilities, as well as his scoring at times.
O’Sullivan is averaging a team-high seven rebounds a game and also has 15 assists, which is second only to point guard Jonathan Han ’09, who has 32.
Danny Ogelsby ’07, is starting to contribute as well, after an injury during preseason. He scored 13 against Georgetown and 10 points against Loyola, second to Van Schaick in both games.
The Stags’ tough schedule is far from over. They take on 0-6 St. Francis (NY) on Saturday at Alumni Hall which will be a small break. Then they travel to face Boston College and Providence, in the same week. Cooley said that the team cannot worry about the schedule.
“We need to do what Fairfield does and believe in our philosophy,” Cooley said. “We need to stay strong on defense and make the adjustments.”
Ogelsby feels the team is looking forward to another game at Alumni Hall. “The crowd definitely helps us, I am looking forward to playing there again.”
They then start the MAAC schedule the week after, with games against Manhattan and Canisius.
On Dec. 28 they will then travel to the Bronx to face Fordham.
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