2018-19 Fairfi eld University Basketball 2017-18 Schedule Quick Facts Date Opponent Time UNIVERSITY INFORMATION Tues., November 6 at Purdue University 7 pm Location......................................Fairfield, Conn. Sat., November 10 at Bucknell University 7 pm Founded..........................................................1942 Tues., November 13 LIU-Brooklyn (WBA) 7:30 pm Enrollment...................................................3,300 President.............................Dr. Mark R. Nemec Sat., November 17 Wagner College (WBA) 1 pm Director of Athletics..........Paul Schlickmann Fri.-Sun., November 23-25 at Seattle University Tournament SAffiliation...............................NCAA Division I (with Longwood, Denver, Seattle) Conference.................................................MAAC Sat., December 1 at Army West Point 1 pm School Color.................................Cardinal Red Nickname.....................................................Stags Thurs., December 6 Oakland University (AH) 7 pm Home Court..................Webster Bank Arena Sun., December 9 at Old Dominion University 1 pm On-Campus Home Court............Alumni Hall Sun., December 16 at Boston College 1 pm Sat., December 22 at University of New Hampshire 7 pm PROGRAM HISTORY First Season............................................1948-49 Thurs., January 3 Rider University (AH) * 7 pm First Varsity Season............................. 1951-52 Sat., January 5 at Iona College * 1 pm First Division I Season.........................1964-65 Mon., January 7 Niagara University (AH) * 7 pm MAAC Regular Season Title .....2/1986, 2011 Thurs., January 10 Saint Peter’s University (WBA) * 7 pm MAAC Tourney Titles.......3/1986, 1987, 1997 NCAA Appearances/Last......................3/1997 Sun., January 13 at Quinnipiac University * 2 pm NIT Appearances/Last...........................6/2011 Thurs., January 17 at Monmouth University * 7 pm Sat., January 19 Canisius College (AH) * 1 pm TEAM INFORMATION 2017-18Overall Record.............................. 17-16 Thurs., January 24 Siena College (WBA) * 7 pm 2017-18 MAAC Record..................................9-9 Sun., January 27 Iona College (AH) * 1 pm 2017-18 MAAC Finish....................................6th Thurs., Jan. 31 at Manhattan College * 7 pm Sat.., February 2 at Marist College * 7 pm COACHING STAFF Head Coach.............................Sydney Johnson Mon., February 4 at Siena College * 7 pm Alma Mater....................................Princeton ‘97 Sat., February 9 Monmouth University (WBA) * 1 pm Record at Fairfield..............107-125 (7 Years) Fri., February 15 at Canisius College * 7 pm Overall Record.....................173-178 (11 Years) Sun., February 17 at Niagara University * 2 pm MAAC Record..............................................62-72 Sun., February 24 Manhattan College (AH) * 3:30 pm ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS Fri., March 1 Marist College (AH) * 7 pm Assoc. AD/Media Relations...........Jack Jones Sun., March 3 at Saint Peter’s University* 1 pm Jones Office..............(203) 254-4116 AH - Alumni Hall; WBA - Webster Bank Arena; * - MAAC Game Jones Cell...............(203) 650-5907 Jones [email protected] University Web Site..........www.fairfield.edu Athletics Web Site..www.fairfieldstags.com #0 Neft ali Alvarez #1Felix Lemetti #2 Taj Benning #5Aidas Kavaliauskas Fr., 6-2, 165 Fr., 6-1, 170 So., 6-3, 185 Jr., 6-1, 175 Catano, Puerto Rico Stockholm, Sweden Fair Lawn, N.J. Kaunas, Lithuania #10 Th omas Nolan #11 Calvin Whipple #12 Kevin Senghore-Peterson #13 Jonathan Kasibabu R-Jr. - 6-3 - 195 Fr. - 6-4 - 185 So., 6-6, 220 Sr. - 6-8 - 240 Trumbull, Conn. Leominster, Mass. Frolunda, Sweden Kinshasa, Dem. Rep of Congo #14 Matija Milin #15 Wassef Methnani #24 Jesus Cruz #25 Landon Taliaferro Sr. - 6-9 - 215 So., 6-8, 208 So., 6-5, 210 Fr., 6-3, 185 Belgrade, Serbia Kairoun,Tunisia Carolina, Puerto Rico Boulder, Colo. Fairfi eld University Men’s Basketball Radio/TV Spotters Chart #30 Omar El-Sheikh Head Coach So., 6-7, 195 Sydney Johnson Cairo, Egypt Ninth Season 2018-19 Roster Numerical No. Player Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Last School Hometown 0 Neftali Alvarez Fr. G 6-2 165 Miami Christian Catano, Puerto Rico 1 Felix Lemetti Fr. G 6-1 170 Fryshuset Gymnasium Stockholm, Sweden 2 Taj Benning So. G 6-3 185 Bergen Catholic Fair Lawn, N.J. 5 Aidas Kavaliauskas Jr. G 6-1 175 SPIRE Academy Kaunas, Lithuania 10 Thomas Nolan R-Jr. G 6-3 195 Fairfield Prep Trumbull, Conn. 11 Calvin Whipple Fr. G 6-4 185 Northfield Mount Hermon Leominster, Mass. 12 Kevin Senghore-Peterson So. F 6-6 220 Myerscough Coll. Frolunda, Sweden 13 Jonathan Kasibabu Sr. F 6-8 240 Westtown (Pa.) Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of Congo 14 Matija Milin Sr. F 6-9 215 Sports Gymnasium Belgrade, Serbia 15 Wassef Methnani So. F 6-8 208 The Knox School Kairouan , Tunisia 24 Jesus Cruz So. G 6-5 210 Loomis Chaffee Carolina, Puerto Rico 25 Landon Taliaferro Jr. G 6-3 185 Boulder (Laramie Cty) Boulder, Colo. 30 Omar El-Sheik So. F 6-7 195 The Knox School Cairo, Egypt Head Coach: Sydney Johnson (Princeton ’97) Assistant Coaches: Mitch Buonaguro (Boston College ’75), Tom Parrotta (Fordham ’88, Tyson Wheeler (Rhode Island ’98) Director of Basketball Operations: Steven Elmore (Princeton ’12) Alphabetical No. Player Cl. Pos. Ht. Wt. Last School Hometown 0 Neftali Alvarez Fr. G 6-2 165 Miami Christian Catano, Puerto Rico 2 Taj Benning So. G 6-3 185 Bergen Catholic Fair Lawn, N.J. 24 Jesus Cruz So. G 6-5 210 Loomis Chaffee Carolina, Puerto Rico 30 Omar El-Sheik So. F 6-7 195 The Knox School Cairo, Egypt 13 Jonathan Kasibabu Sr. F 6-8 240 Westtown (Pa.) Kinshasa, Dem. Rep. of Congo 5 Aidas Kavaliauskas Jr. G 6-1 175 SPIRE Academy Kaunas, Lithuania 1 Felix Lemetti Fr. G 6-1 170 Fryshuset Gymnasium Stockholm, Sweden 15 Wassef Methnani So. F 6-8 208 The Knox School Kairouan , Tunisia 14 Matija Milin Sr. F 6-9 215 Sports Gymnasium Belgrade, Serbia 10 Thomas Nolan R-Jr. G 6-3 195 Fairfield Prep Trumbull, Conn. 12 Kevin Senghore-Peterson So. F 6-6 220 Myerscough Coll. Frolunda, Sweden 25 Landon Taliaferro Jr. G 6-3 185 Boulder (Laramie Cty) Boulder, Colo. 11 Calvin Whipple Fr. G 6-4 185 Northfield Mount Hermon Leominster, Mass. Head Coach: Sydney Johnson (Princeton ’97) Assistant Coaches: Mitch Buonaguro (Boston College ’75), Tom Parrotta (Fordham ’88, Tyson Wheeler (Rhode Island ’98) Director of Basketball Operations: Steven Elmore (Princeton ’12) Sophomore Guard 6-3 185 #2 Taj Benning Fair Lawn, N.J. 2017-18 Benning appeared in 25 games as a reserve during his freshman campaign, making his debut in the season opener against Penn. He made his first of five three point field goals in that game, finishing his first collegiate game with three points. He scored in 12 of his appearances, highlighted by a season-high eight points in a personal-best 26 minutes played against Rider at Webster Bank Arena. His point total surpassed his previous high of seven points established Season & Career Highs at Rider a few weeks earlier. Benning rated as one of the team’s top free throw shooters at Points 75 percent, netting 15 of his 20 attempts which included two 4-for-4 performances (at Rider 8 vs. Rider, 1/23/18 and vs. Siena). He concluded the season with more assists (20) than turnovers (16) and also Rebounds secured 1.4 rebounds per contest. His best performance around the glass came at Wright State 5 at Wright State, 11/26/17 when he posted five caroms in 25 minutes. For the season, Benning averaged 1.6 points, 1.4 Assists rebounds and 0.8 assists per outing. 3 twice-recent vs. Rider, 1/23/18 Steals 1 three times-recent at Canisius, 2/12/18 FGs Before Fairfield 3 vs. Rider, 1/23/18 Taj Benning is a highly-decorated guard who looks to make an immediate impact as a fresh- 3 PT FGs man. As a sophomore at Bergen Catholic High School, Benning helped the basketball team 2 vs. Rider, 12/3/18 capture the Bergen County championship, earning a spot on the All-Tournament team. He also FTs 4 twice-recent vs. Siena, 2/5/18 received berths to the All-Big North Conference first team as well as the All-Bergen County Mins second team. In his junior season, Benning also captured All-Tournament honors after leading 26 vs. Rider, 1/23/18 the high school to a semifinal appearance. He ended the year with spots on the All-County and All-League first teams. As a senior, Benning garnered an honorable mention berth to the All-State team in addition to first team accolades for All-County and All-League. He was also honorable mention MSG Varsity Tristate. Career Statistics Year G FG-A Pct. 3pt-A Pct. FT-A Pct. Pts.-Avg. Rebs-Avg A B S 2017-18 25 10-31 .323 5-13 .385 15-20 .750 40-1.6 34-1.4 20 5 3 2017-18 Season Statistics Player Notes Opponent MP FG-A 3pt-A FT-A Pt. Reb. A TO BL ST Penn 9 1-1 1-1 0-0 3 3 0 0 0 0 Loyola Md. 8 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 Ball Control: Taj Benning was one of two Fairfi eld new- at Purdue 16 1-2 0-0 1-3 3 3 1 2 1 0 comers to have a posi ve assist-to-turnover ra o, dishing off vs Jacksonville 8 0-1 0-1 0-0 0 3 2 0 0 0 vs Gardner Webb 2 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0 0 0 20 assists against 16 turnovers. The only other fi rst-year Stag at Wright State 25 1-5 0-2 0-0 2 5 3 1 0 0 to accomplish the task was Aidas Kavaliauskas, who recorded at Wagner 5 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 1 0 0 0 92 assists against 44 turnovers.