Stags Host Fresh Air Fund Day at Fairfield-Iona Basketball Game Sunday at Webster Bank Arena

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Dec. 5, 2013 - PRLog -- The Fairfield University men's basketball team will host Fresh Air Fund Day when the Stags face Iona College on Sunday, December 8, at 1:30 pm at Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, CT.

It will be the Stags' Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) home opener, and the men's basketball team will also welcome the Fresh Air Fund agency to the game. The agency has provided free experiences in the country to more than 1.7 million New York City children from low-income communities.

In support of the initiative, Fairfield University will provide 12 summer scholarships for Fresh Air children for Sydney Johnson Basketball Camps for boys; promote the Fresh Air Fund during the season home games; and invite host families to Sunday's game for just $5. All Fresh Air Fund adults will receive $5 admission and youth will receive free admission. Use promo code "FRESHAIR" at the Webster Bank Arena box office window.

As part of the festivities, two dozen selected Fresh Air Fund kids will watch the players warm up and stand with them during the National Anthem

In addition, the annual Teddy Bears with Love drive will be held at the game, an event that is sponsored by the Student Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations. All fans that donate a new, unwrapped teddy bear will receive a free ticket to the game. The donated teddy bears will be distributed to children in area hospitals in coming weeks. Fans can use the promo code "TEDDY" at the box office window to receive a free ticket with teddy bear donation.

This will be the first of two regular season meetings with the Gaels. The Stags have an away game against Quinnipiac University on Friday night before coming home for their match up with Iona. Fairfield looks to get back on track this week after falling to Providence College by a 78-69 decision on November 29. Marcus Gilbert (23 points) and Maurice Barrow (20 points) both paced the Stags' offense which set a season-high for scoring against the Friars. Gilbert leads the team in scoring with 13 points per game while Barrow places second among his teammates with 9.7 points every forty minutes. Amadou Sidibe is the team's top rebounder with 5.6 per contest.

The Gaels (3-2 at press time) will host Marist College on Wednesday night before making their way to Webster Bank Arena on Sunday. Sean Armand has enjoyed a great start to the 2013-14 season, averaging 20.2 points per game. He is averaging 3.4 three-point field goals per game and is shooting 43 percent from behind the arc. David Laury is next in line with a 14.4 scoring average, while Tre Bowman (13.0 ppg) and A.J. English (12.6 ppg) are also scoring in double figures.

To purchase tickets for the Fairfield-Iona men's basketball game, please visit www.ticketmaster.com or the Webster Bank Arena box office. Fairfield basketball flex ticket plans and mini-plans are available by calling the Fairfield University athletic ticket office at (203) 254-4136 or by sending an email to hsmaldone@fairfield.edu.

About Fairfield Athletics: Fairfield University is a co-educational Jesuit institution that is located on the Connecticut shoreline in Fairfield County. More than 400 student-athletes participate in 20 Division I varsity sports with 18 teams competing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Men’s lacrosse will play its final season in the ECAC Lacrosse League in 2014 before becoming an associate member of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for 2015. The field hockey team is an associate member of America East.

The Stags have enjoyed success regionally and nationally with the men’s lacrosse team and the field hockey team earning a national ranking in 2012-13. The men’s basketball team advanced to postseason play in each of the last four seasons, including a trip to the 2011 NIT. The women’s basketball team has also enjoyed success in the postseason with three bids in the last four years. Fairfield University athletics has captured four MAAC Commissioner’s Cups as the best MAAC program for that year with its most recent Cup coming following the 2011-12 campaign.

More than two-thirds of all Fairfield University student-athletes earned a 3.0 GPA or higher in 2012-13, including more than 100 conference All-Academic honors. The NCAA recognized five teams for their academic achievement as part of their Public Recognition Awards program – men’s and women’s cross country, women’s golf, men’s swimming, and volleyball.

The men’s basketball team plays its home games at Webster Bank Arena, a 9,500-seat state-of-the-art facility. The Stags have hosted games against Boston College, Georgetown University, Providence College, St. John’s University, and Saint Joseph’s University. Fairfield University has also hosted NCAA tournament play, including the 2004, 2008, and 2012 Women’s Basketball Championship first and second rounds as well as the 2006 and 2013 Women’s Basketball Regional semifinal and final. Fairfield University and Yale University have co-hosted the 2009, 2011, and 2012 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Regional tournament.