HACKENSACK, N.J. - FDU men's basketball (6-6, 0-0 NEC) welcomes Fairfield (5-6, 1-1 MAAC) to Stratis Arena on Thursday, Dec. 21 at 7 p.m. ET in the Knights' final home test of 2023. Thursday's game against the Stags will air live on the YES Network and stream on the YES App. The first 250 fans receive a free holiday tree ornament and are encouraged to wear their favorite ugly sweater.
 

About FDU

Currently the NEC wins leader through 12 games, FDU has tallied six wins in non-conference play as the league's highest-scoring offense looks to get back on track after a loss against Columbia on Dec. 11 before the fall finals break. Junior forward (Spring Valley, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional [Mont.]) continues to dazzle for the Knights as the reigning NEC Most Improved Player set a new career high in points with 27 against the Lions (12/11) to lead all scorers. Almonor -- now an NEC Prime Performer in two-straight weeks -- blocked two shots in the lone game last week as he also shot 10-17 from the field, including 5-of-10 from three-point range.

Sophomore forward Jo'el Emanuel (Suffern, N.Y./Suffern) nabbed six caroms off the defensive glass in the effort while also dishing a team-best four assists with two steals.
 

About the Opponent

Fairfield enters Thursday's game having won four-straight, including a pair of victories against NEC members Sacred Heart and Wagner. Sitting 1-1 in the MAAC, the Stags started off 1-6 before kicking into gear against Rider in their second MAAC game of the 2023-24 season. FDU and Fairfield have six common opponents in Le Moyne, Manhattan, Sacred Heart, Saint Peter's, Queens (N.C.) and Wagner.

The Stags rank in the top five of scoring offenses in the MAAC (4th), averaging 72.0 points a game. Fairfield's Brycen Goodine leads the MAAC in three-point shooting, hitting 47.1 percent of his 51 three-point field goal tries in 10 games.
 

About the Series

FDU is 7-17 all-time against Fairfield heading into Thursday's game. The series between the Stags and Knights began on Feb. 21, 1956 and was most recently contested on Dec. 15, 2021. FDU last defeated Fairfield on Dec. 22, 2020 (69-65); 

Fairfield won the last meeting in Hackensack on Dec. 15, 2021 (75-54).
 

What a Win Would Mean

• FDU would sweep MAAC opponents this season (Manhattan, Saint Peter's)
• Finish December home games 1-1 (4-1 overall)
• Be the eighth all-time against Fairfield

 

Headlines

• Thursday's game marks the fourth of eight as part of the "FDU on YES" package
• Fairfield assistant coach Glenn Braica is no stranger to FDU as he served as the head coach of former NEC member St. Francis Brooklyn for 13 seasons
• Almonor was named an NEC Prime Performer for the second-consecutive week

 

What's Next

The Knights bid farewell to 2023 on Dec. 29 at No. 13 Illinois live on the Big Ten Network at 8 p.m. CT / 9 p.m. ET. Northeast Conference play begins after the new year on Jan. 4 at defending NEC champion Merrimack.

Connect with FDU men's basketball on X and Instagram, @FDUKnightsMBB.

Bogota Savings Bank is the presenting sponsor for the 2023-24 FDU men's basketball season.