KISSIMMEE, FL (Nov. 17, 2021) – The 2021 MAAC/ASUN Challenge gets underway this weekend on Friday and Saturday, November 19-20 in the HP Field House at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, FL. All eight games will be broadcast on ESPN family of networks.
 
The second installment of the MAAC/ASUN Challenge will feature Fairfield and Manhattan of the MAAC and Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson from the ASUN on the women’s side, while the men’s field includes Iona and Manhattan representing the MAAC and Liberty and North Alabama representing the ASUN.
 
The Fairfield Stags women’s basketball team enters the challenge with an overall record of 1-1. The Stags defeated Brown at home 76-52 in the season opener, before falling at Rutgers 48-42 (Nov. 14). Fairfield has been led this season by redshirt-senior Callie Cavanaugh, the fifth best scorer in the MAAC, with an average of 17.5 points per game and MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Lou Lopez-Senechal, who is averaging 15.0 points through two games.
 
Heading to Kissimmee with a perfect 2-0 record, the Manhattan Jaspers women’s basketball squad will be away from Riverdale for the first time this season. Both of the Jaspers victory have come on their home court, knocking off St. Francis Brooklyn 74-66 (Nov. 9) and Army 75-55 (Nov. 13). Manhattan boasts the league’s leading scorer and rebounder in Dee Dee Davis and Courtney Warley. Davis is the only current MAAC player averaging over 20 points per game, scoring 21.0 points per outing and Warley has pulled in 13.0 rebounds per game to lead the conference.
 
Defending MAAC Champion, the Iona Gaels men’s basketball unit are out to a perfect 3-0 start to begin 2021-22, its first three-game unbeaten streak to start a season since 2009-10. The Gaels have victories over Appalachian State (65-53), Harvard (90-87 OT), and Hofstra (82-74) all coming at home in the Hynes Center. Iona has three players that currently sit top-12 on the conference leaderboard in scoring. Tyson Jolly leads the way with an 18.7 average, Nelly Junior Joseph follows with a scoring average of 17.3 points per clip, and Dylan van Eyck averages 14.7 points, which ranks fourth, seventh, and 12^th, respectively.
 
The Manhattan Jaspers men’s basketball team holds a 2-1 mark through its first trio of games. The Jaspers began the 2021-22 campaign 2-0 after home wins over Manhattanville (99-42) on Nov. 9 and Fordham (66-60) in the Battle of the Bronx on Nov. 12. Manhattan’s lone defeat came on the road at Old Dominion on Monday. Jose Perez ranks fourth in the nation in assists, handing out a MAAC-best 8.7 dimes per game, while Elijah Buchanan (11.7 ppg) and Warren Williams (11.0) leads the lineup in scoring.
 

Friday, November 19, 2021
	Matchup	Time	Network
Game 1 (W)	Manhattan vs. FGCU	11:00 a.m.	ESPN3
Game 2 (W)	Fairfield vs. Stetson	1:30 p.m.	ESPN3
Game 3 (M)	Iona vs. Liberty	5:00 p.m.	ESPNU
Game 4 (M)	Manhattan vs. North Alabama	7:30 p.m.	ESPN3

 

Saturday, November 20, 2021
	Matchup	Time	Network
Game 5 (W)	Fairfield vs. FGCU	12:00 p.m.	ESPN3
Game 6 (W)	Manhattan vs. Stetson	2:30 p.m.	ESPN3
Game 7 (M)	Manhattan vs. Liberty	6:00 p.m.	ESPN3
Game 8 (M)	Iona vs. North Alabama	8:30 p.m.	ESPN3

 
All information regarding the 2021 MAAC/ASUN Challenge can be found on maacsports.com.


About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 41st year of competition during the 2021-22 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.