Suspension, injuries hurt Fairfield men
FAIRFIELD -- You might want to grab a program before tonight's Fairfield University men's basketball game.
The season began with a veteran squad and high expectations, but head coach Ed Cooley is now trying to piece together enough bodies to field a lineup to face Marist at the Arena at Harbor Yard (7:30).
The Stags (12-9, 5-5 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) will be without three starters -- including star point guard Jonathan Han, who is suspended indefinitely for a violation of team policy -- for their battle with the Red Foxes and for the foreseeable future.
In addition to Han, also missing are sophomore Warren Edney (ankle), who is in a walking cast and is done for the season, and junior center Anthony Johnson, who is also out for the season with an undisclosed medical condition.
"We have to bond together and do what we have to do," Cooley said.
A makeshift lineup will try to end a three-game losing skid and keep the Stags afloat in the MAAC. Fairfield was picked to finish second in the coaches' preseason poll behind defending champion Siena.
Fairfield is tied for fourth in the conference, along with Manhattan, Iona and Loyola (Md.).
The Stags' other starters, junior forward Greg Nero (back) and senior guard Herbie Allen (bruised left hand), are also banged up, but expected to play tonight.
Cooley said Nero, who sat out the first half of Monday's loss to Manhattan, is day to day with his injury. Allen
missed one game with his injury, but was back against Manhattan even though he was less then 100 percent.
The status of Han, who was a preseason candidate for MAAC player of the year, for the rest of the season remains in limbo.
"We will look at it after this weekend," said Cooley, whose team host Loyola on Sunday.
Cooley said Monday night's postgame incident involving Han and an assistant coach was not the only reason for the discipline.
Without Han (12.5 points per game), Edney (9.7 ppg) and Johnson (9.2 ppg), the Stags are without their second, third and fourth leading scorers, respectively. Johnson also leads the team in rebounds (7.4 per game) and blocked shots (43).
The loss of players means the Stags will be counting on Nero (team-high 13.2 ppg), Allen and a collection of first- and second-year players to right the ship and try to salvage a season that suddenly appears on a downward spiral.
After a 1-3 start, Fairfield won seven straight before holiday break and looked poised to challenge Siena for the conference crown. But injuries -- starting with Edney's Achilles' tendon and then ankle problems -- have thrown the Stags a curveball.
Sophomore Yorel Hawkins has stepped up at small forward in Edney's absence, averaging 7.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in nine starts, but now other players will need to follow in his footsteps.
Freshman Ryan Olander and junior Mike Evanovich figure to see more time up front with Johnson out, while freshmen Sean Crawford and Jamal Turner and sophomore Lyndon Jordan need to offset the loss of Han. Evanovich and Jordan are expected to be the starters.
