Men's Basketball Hosts Fairfield Thursday
The Central Connecticut State men's basketball team closes out the calendar with its final non-conference contest of the campaign against Fairfield on Thursday night at 7:00 p.m. in Detrick Gymnasium. Tickets for CCSU home games are available here.
CCSU will be looking for its second straight win against the Stags, while Fairfield leads the overall series, 21-5.
CCSU Game Notes | Latest Media Coverage | HOME GAME TICKETS
vs. Fairfield NEC Front Row | Live Stats
• Patrick Sellers is in his 5th season leading his alma mater. He has led CCSU to back-to-back NEC regular season crowns, along with, consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in the program's Division I history.
• The Blue Devils lead the NEC in assists per game (16.4) and assist-turnover ratio (1.58). Jay Rodgers is steering the ship for Central and ranks 7th nationally in assists per game (7.0) and 28th in assist-turnover ratio (3.7).
• Central has posted 20+ wins in consecutive seasons for the first time in its Division I history. The Blue Devils last accomplished the feat in 1982-83 (21-9) and 1983-84 (26-6).
• When scoring 70+ points under Patrick Sellers, CCSU is 47-13 (.783) overall. Central is 26-1 in such games dating back to Jan. 19, 2024.
• Since 2021-22, CCSU has won 8 straight 1-point games (Jan. 21, 2022, 67-68 loss at SFU).
• Jay Rodgers and Darin Smith, Jr. each posted a double-double in the Blue Devils' win at Binghamton on Dec. 13.
• Rodgers had a career-high 10 assists with 14 points, while matching a personal-best with five rebounds.
• Smith collected a career-high 10 rebounds with 23 points.
• Max Frazier is averaging 11.5 ppg and 7.0 rpg, while shooting 49-of-79 (.620) from the field in 23.9 minutes.
• Frazier has a team-high 19 dunks on the year and is shooting 52.9% on field goals in the paint.
• Frazier hit 7-of-7 from the field in the opener, and went 9-of-11 for 24 points vs. Sacred Heart, including the game-winning dunk in overtime.
• James Jones posted his first career double-double with a career-high 12 points with 13 rebounds at Seton Hall.
• He had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists (0 turnovers) at Binghamton.
• Jones leads the team in rebounding, 2nd in minutes, assists & blocks.
• Darin Smith, Jr. posted a career-high 38 points (12-of-21 shooting) in the overtime win over Sacred Heart on Nov. 24.
• His 38 points were the most scored by a Blue Devil since Dec. 31, 2022, when Kellen Amos scored 36 against St. Francis Brooklyn.
• He matched his previous season-high with 21 points in the opening half when he shot 8-of-11 from the field (3-of-4 from the arc).
• Central won consecutive games over "Power 5" conference schools (at Boston College, at Rutgers) earlier this season.
• CCSU is 2-45 against foes from the ACC, Big 12, Big 10, and SEC.
• The Blue Devils are 1-31 against the BIG EAST with a win at Providence (54-50) on Dec. 21, 1999.
• CCSU has losses vs. Oregon St. and Washington St. of the Pac-12.
2025-26 NEC Men's Basketball Preseason Poll
1. LIU (unanimous)
2. CCSU
3. Stonehill
4. Mercyhurst
5. FDU
6. Chicago State
7. Saint Francis
8. Wagner
9. Le Moyne
10. New Haven
2025-26 Preseason All-NEC Men's Basketball Team
Bernie Blunt III, MU, Gr, G, 5-11, 180 lbs., Morgantown, PA/Peddie School (Edinboro/Quinnipiac)
Malachi Davis, LIU (unanimous), R-Sr, G, 6-4, 172 lbs., Scarborough, Canada/Central Tech (Tallahassee CC/Lake Land College/Arizona St.)
Jamal Fuller, LIU (unanimous), Gr, G/F, 6-5, 215 lbs., Toronto, Canada/Central Tech (Hill College/Academy of Art)
Hermann Koffi, STO, So, G, 6-4, 203 lbs., Quebec City, Quebec/Polyvalente de Thetford Mine
Darin Smith Jr., CCSU, So, F, 6-7, 210 lbs., Springfield, MA/Vermont Academy
