JERSEY CITY, NJ – A 17-3 run in the first half and an 11-3 run in the second half gave the Fairfield University Stags (10-9, 5-3 MAAC) a 13-point lead that the Saint Peter's College Peacocks (4-15, 3-5 MAAC) could never recover from in the Peacocks 75-63 loss to the Stags. Saint Peter's trailed by as many as 17 in the second half and could only get as closer as the final margin. Darius Conley and Chris Prescott each scored 16 points to lead Saint Peter's.
Saint Peter's won the tip and immediately scored, but Fairfield answered and the two teams traded baskets. The Peacocks trailed 9-8, but used a 7-2 run take a 15-11 lead at the 13:30 mark. Fairfield then used a 17-3 run to take a 28-18 lead with 7:55 to play in the first half. Saint Peter's stayed within striking distance and finished the half on a 6-2 run, going into the break, trailing 36-31.
Conley led Saint Peter's with eight points, while Prescott scored seven. Rakim Sanders led all scorers with 12 points, while Ryan Olander added 10. Both teams shot 58% from the field in the opening frame. The Stags outrebounded the Peacocks 14-11 and both team committed eight turnovers.
Fairfield started the second half on an 11-3 run to take their largest lead of the game 47-34 with14:31 to play in the second half. The Stags then led 49-38 and used a 9-3 spurt to go up 17 points, 58-41 at the 8:35 mark. That was the Stags largest margin and the Peacocks could only get as close as 12 points, the final margin, the rest of the way.
Conley was 8-15 from the field with seven rebounds and three blocks. Prescott was 6-8 from the field with four rebounds and a steal. Sanders led all scorers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Both teams shot over 50% from the field, but Fairfield won the battle of the board 36-21. The Peacocks committed 15 turnovers, but forced 18.
Saint Peter's will hit the road for a two game trip that begins on Sunday in Baltimore for a 12pm tip-off against Loyola.
