2021-22 Monmouth Basketball Game Twenty-One Preview                                                                               

Monmouth Hawks (13-7, 5-4 MAAC) vs. Fairfield Stags (10-10, 4-5 MAAC)
Friday, February 4, 2022 - 7:00 p.m.
OceanFirst Bank Center, West Long Branch, NJ

TV
ESPN3
Play-by-Play: Eddy Occhipinti
Analyst: Dave Calloway

MONMOUTH COVID-19 POLICIES

Monmouth University has announced its campus-wide indoor event COVID-19 policies.
 
The following policies are in effect until further notice:

1.    All fans 18 and over are required to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test administered by a doctor's office or a clinic within 72 hours of the event time for indoor Athletic events. Home test kit results will not be accepted.
2.    All event audiences must wear a mask that completely covers the nose and mouth of the participant. Face shields are not acceptable. This includes fans from 2-17 years of age.
3.    Athletic events held in the OceanFirst Bank Center will be permitted to have food in the stands as long as masks remain on when the participant is not actively consuming food or beverages. Masks must be worn otherwise.
 
Men's and women's basketball season ticket holders will be mailed (and emailed) instructions on how to obtain a vaccine credential which will require them to show their vaccine cards once and receive a credential to speed up entrance to events. Season ticket holders who are not vaccinated will need to show proof a negative test within 72 hours of the event for every event attended.
 
Additionally, there will be separate entrances for students, season ticket holders and the general public. More information on those locations will be available on MonmouthHawks.com.

MEET A NEW YORK GIANTS LEGEND!
You can meet a New York Giants legend at the game! Two-time Super Bowl champion Pepper Johnson will be signing autographs on the concourse beginning at 5:45 p.m. and your game ticket gets you a free autograph and chance to meet the former Giant!

QUICK BULLETS
-Monmouth is playing its fourth of four straight home games today
-This is MU's first game in the month of February
-Monmouth is 2-1 on the current home stretch
-MU had a three-game winning streak snapped the last time out
-Monmouth is playing Fairfield for the second time in five games
-MU's four fifth-year seniors are all scoring over 9 ppg
-George Papas has earned two MAAC Player of the Week honors this season while Shavar Reynolds has one as well
-George Papas was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List
-This is MU's final regular season matchup with Fairfield this season

A MONMOUTH WIN WOULD...
-mark Monmouth's 14th win of the season
-be the Hawks fourth win in the last five games
-move the Hawks two games over .500 in MAAC play at 6-4
-make Monmouth the second MAAC team to 14 overall victories
-be MU's 100th ever win in the MAAC
-mark Monmouth's 13th win as MAAC opponents against Fairfield
-be the Hawks second win in a row over Fairfield
-complete a Monmouth season sweep of Fairfield
-make Monmouth 1-0 in February
-move MU to 4-2 at home in league play

NOTES FROM THE LAST TIME OUT
-Marcus McClary tied the program record held by Diago Quinn for all-time games played with his 136th.
-Monmouth had a three-game win streak snapped.
-George Papas posted his 10th career 20+ point game and seventh this season.  
-Walker Miller's double-figure effort was the 16th of his season.
-Sam Chaput scored in double figures for the sixth time in his career and second this season.
-Nikkei Rutty's 10 rebounds is his third double-digit rebound game this season.
-Myles Ruth notched his third career double-digit effort and second this season.
-Chaput made his second start of the year.
-MU outrebounded Niagara 46-39.
-Monmouth was better on the move, 22-3.
-There were five ties and four lead changes.
-Marcus Hammond led all scorers with 27 points.

MORE INFO ON THE ALL-TIME SERIES
-Monmouth leads the all-time series, 12-7
-In matchups as MAAC foes, MU leads 12-5
-Monmouth has won four of the last six in the series 
-The Hawks topped Fairfield in Bridgeport, CT earlier this season, 61-58
-Monmouth has beaten Niagara in West Long Branch six of the last seven times
-The teams met twice as non-league opponents, both Fairfield wins in '94 and '95
-This is the final regular season meeting between the schools this season
-This marks the third MAAC series that Monmouth is completing this season
-MU is 6-2 against Niagara in West Long Branch all-time and 5-1 as MAAC foes
-MU won seven in a row in the matchup between 2015 and 2017