Mount St. Mary's Heads to Fairfield for Sunday Matinee

Sunday, February 12, 2023, 2:00 p.m.
Leo D. Mahoney Arena | Fairfield, Conn.

GAME NOTES (PDF) | LIVE STATS | WATCH on ESPN3

MOUNT STORY LINES

Mount St. Mary's was outlasted by Siena, 72-65, on Friday night at Knott Arena. Dakota Leffew led the Mount with 20 points while Jalen Benjamin added 16 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Trailing 48-47 midway through the second half, the Mount saw Siena go on an 8-0 to take a nine-point lead. The Mount fought back to pull within three in the final minute, but the Saints were able to hit free throws to seal the win.
Fairfield edged the Mount, 63-60, at Knott Arena on January 26, in the first meeting the two teams in 74 seasons. The Fairfield win evened the all-time series at one win each.
In Fairfield's three-point win at the Mount, the Stags made the plays down the stretch to secure the win. George Tinsley hit a three with 41.7 seconds left to pull the Mount within one at 61-60. After Caleb Fields hit 1-of-2 at the line, the Mount turned the ball over and Fairfield's Jake Wojcik hit 1-of-2 at the line for a 63-60 lead with seven seconds left. The Mount's Jalen Benjamin had a shot to tie the game at the buzzer, but his three was off the mark.
Dakota Leffew led the Mount with 20 points in the loss to Siena. Leffew has reached 20 or more points on three occasions this season and has scored in double figures 19 times this year.
Graduate forward Malik Jefferson returned to the lineup on Friday at Siena after missing the previous nine games due to a shoulder injury. Jefferson finished with eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in 24 minutes of action off the bench. It was just the second time in 126 career games played that Jefferson has not been in the Mount's starting lineup.
Mount St. Mary's shot 15-of-17 (.882) at the foul line in the loss to Siena on Friday night. The Mountaineers are shooting a league-best 80.4 percent at the charity stripe in MAAC games this year. The Mount also leads the MAAC in three-point shooting in league games, connecting on 39.4 percent from beyond the arc (99-for-251).
Up next, the Mountaineers have a three-game homestand beginning with a matchup with Niagara on Friday, February 17. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m. at Knott Arena with a halftime show from Mutts Gone Nuts. Click HERE for tickets.