Fairfield, Rider meet in conference play

Fairfield (8-11, 4-4) vs. Rider (11-8, 5-4)

Alumni Gymnasium, Lawrenceville, New Jersey; Friday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: MAAC foes meet as Fairfield squares off against Rider. Fairfield won 63-55 at home against Canisius in its last outing. Rider is coming off a 67-63 win at Manhattan in its most recent game.

VETERAN PRESENCE: Each team has relied heavily on their seniors this year. Dimencio Vaughn, Frederick Scott, Stevie Jordan, Willy Nunez Jr. and Christian Ings have collectively accounted for 71 percent of Rider’s scoring this season and 68 percent of the team’s points over its last five games. For Fairfield, Landon Taliaferro, Vincent Eze and Aidas Kavaliauskas have combined to score 42 percent of the team’s points this season, including 44 percent of all Stags points over their last five.JUMPING FOR JESUS: Jesus Cruz has connected on 25.5 percent of the 47 3-pointers he’s attempted. He’s also converted 69.6 percent of his free throws this season.

WINLESS WHEN: The Broncs are 0-5 when they score 66 points or fewer and 11-3 when they exceed 66 points. The Stags are 0-8 when allowing 64 or more points and 8-3 on the season, otherwise.

UNDEFEATED WHEN: Rider is a perfect 9-0 when its defense holds opponents to a field goal percentage of 41.9 percent or less. The Broncs are 2-8 when allowing opponents to shoot any better than that.

DID YOU KNOW: Rider has attempted the eighth-most free throws in all of Division I. The Broncs have averaged 24.3 free throws per game and 29 per game over their last three games.