Quinnipiac got its first conference win of the year against Marist Sunday in Hamden, defeating the Red Foxes 77-63. When the Bobcats’ 19 point lead was cut to just five, freshman Mikey Dixon scored six straight points giving the momentum back to the home team. Quinnipiac did not relinquish that double-digit lead throughout the rest of the second half.

John Gallagher’s Hartford Hawks team is coming off an 87-75 overtime win over Fairfield. The Hawks overcame a 15 point deficit with around eight minutes to go to force overtime. Junior Jack Hobbs had a career high 18 points in the contest.

Players to watch:

Bobcats: Mikey Dixon. A standout freshman for Quinnipiac so far and reigning MAAC rookie of the week, Dixon has earned more minutes on the floor. In the win against Marist, Dixon was six of 10 from the field, for 14 points, along with two assists and two rebounds. He has been quite the contributor for the Bobcats so far, averaging 11.7 points per game and is second on the team in three-point field goal percentage. Dixon has become a big piece of the Bobcats attack, and should be a problem for the Hawks to contain.

Hawks: Jalen Ross. Hartford’s leading scorer, averaging 21.3 points per game, is coming off a 4-for-18 shooting performance against Fairfield; though that does not indicate the success that Ross has had so far this season. The redshirt senior has scored at least 13 points in each game this season, twice reaching the 30 point plateau. Ross is the Hawks’ leader in the majority of statistical categories, including turnovers (3.4 per game). If the Bobcats can force Ross to make mistakes, they can negate his presence on the floor.

Keys to the game:

Bobcats: Control the paint. Tom Moore’s teams over the past few seasons have been known to rebound the ball, rebound the ball and rebound some more. The two usual starters at forward, Chaise Daniels and Abdulai Bundu both average over five rebounds per game. They need to continue to control the boards, and take advantage of their presence in the post. On the offensive side, Daniels has been strong, as he is tied for the team lead in points with 12.9 per game. A potent effort from Daniels and Bundu will give Quinnipiac the edge.

Hawks: Use size to their advantage. Hartford’s center, Hassan Attia, is 6 feet ten inches and 270 pounds. Quinnipiac has only two players above six feet seven inches, and none heavier than 245 pounds. Hartford clearly has the size advantage down low. Attia will need to defend Chaise Daniels, the Bobcats top player so far this season. Attia was ineligible for the first six games of the season, but is starting to get in a groove, collecting six boards against Sacred Heart.

Quinnipiac and Hartford will tip off Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Lender Court in the TD Bank Sports Center.