After a Strong First Half, Fairfield's Second Half Lapses Secure Iona's First MAAC Victory

 

By Joe Budzelek (@stf_ncaa)

Entering MAAC play winless against Division 1 opponents, Fairfield continued their snide with a 67-to-78 defeat against Iona on Friday night in their conference opener.  

With both teams facing injuries in their veteran backcourts -- Alexis Yetna and Birima Seck for Fairfield; Osborn Shema for Iona -- last night's rotations were younger and smaller than both Chris Casey and Tobin Anderson would care for.

That being said, the Stags' guards and wings made it difficult for Iona to convert under the basket, especially in the first half. “We’re competing extremely hard," says Fairfield head coach Chris Casey, “In the first half, we had a chance to get a lead and play from in front. We turned it over a few too many times and we did not make open shots and free throws. You have to make those against a good team like [Iona]."

Fairfield held most of Iona's roster below their season averages in scoring, but seven three-pointers made from Iona grad transfer Wheza Panzo was the deciding factor in last night's loss. “I thought we did a pretty good job [defending] besides Panzo. One guy made seven threes. We goofed up some switches on him. I thought the switching helped us overall, but we lost him on a few plays. He’s going to make open shots. Overall, we did a decent job on everybody [else]," says Casey.

Even with Yetna and Seck not expected to return until at least late December, the Stags certainly have pieces that are securing their value in the rotation. In the backcourt, veteran returning guards Caleb Fields and Jalen Leach combined for 33 points, 5 assists and just 3 turnovers in 70 total minutes play. 

Over the last two games, JUCO addition Jasper Floyd has scored 40 total points, but his 6 turnovers last night hint towards the growing pains he will work through as he gains more experience in conference play: “He’s getting his first taste of Division 1 basketball and playing significant minutes too," says Casey,  "I have a ton of confidence in Jasper, he’s going to be out there for us. He’s tough, he gets to the basket, he spends a lot of time in the gym shooting the three.” Few teams in the MAAC have a guard of Floyd's size and physicality who can score at will. Along with the athletic and now healthy Brycen Goodine, Fairfield's guards are tough and can be productive.

However, with Fairfield's marquee transfer additions still on the mend, the Stags allow too many second and third-chances for opponents. “What hurt us was defensive rebounding," says Casey, as the Stags secured only 58% of their defensive rebounding opportunities, perpetuating a defensive rebounding rate that currently ranks in the bottom ten-percentile nationally, “We got to find a way to dig out 50/50 balls."

For now, wings Louis Bleechmore and James Johns Jr. will be asked to continue to fight above their weight class as they share the de facto power forward position. Between the two, Bleechmore showed more defensive versatility and grit. So far, his shot has yet to fall consistently (42.1 2P%, 27.8 3P%), but his true form and 37.1 3P% from his time at Harcum College (JUCO) bode well for his offensive potential. 

Despite the loss, the Stags started the game solidly and have clear areas to focus on as they continue through the early stages of the season. “We’re competing extremely hard. We’re playing hard. We’re for each other", reflect Casey, "The biggest thing for us is we got to go from being competitive to learning how to win games.”