BRIDGEPORT, CT – The Saint Peter's College Peacocks (5-22, 4-12 MAAC) returned to the site of their 2011 Championship, but the result was much different as they fell to the Fairfield University Stags (16-10, 11-4 MAAC), 61-38. Fairfield used a 13-3 run to end the first half and a 14-4 run midway through the second half to open up a 28-point lead and never looked back. Brandon Hall led the Peacocks with nine points.
Saint Peter's won the tip, but it was Fairfield that scored 12 of the first 14 points for a 12-2 lead at the 15:45 mark. The Peacocks got to within eight at 14-6, but a 7-2 run by the Stags made the score 21-8 with 10:12 to play in the first half. Saint Peter's scored on their next possession to cut the deficit to 11, but a 13-3 run to end the half by the Stags made the halftime score 33-13. That is the lowest half total of the season and the lowest since scoring 13 in the first half against Robert Morris to open the 2010-11 season.
Darius Conley scored six points to lead Saint Peter's. Rakim Sanders had nine points to lead Fairfield. The Stags shot 46% from the field while holding the Peacocks to 26%. Saint Peter's was outrebounded 20-16 and turned the ball over 14 times, while forcing eight.
Saint Peter's opened the second with four straight points, but Fairfield quickly recovered and had a 38-20 lead at the 13:46 mark. The Stags then used a 14-4 run to open up a 52-24 with 8:04 to play in the second half. The Peacocks scored the next six points to cut the deficit to 52-30, but that was as close as they would get the rest of the way.
Hall was 3-4 from beyond the arc and two assists and two steals. Conley finished with eight points. Sanders scored 15 points to lead Fairfield. The Stags shot 43% from the field and held the Peacocks to 28%. Fairfield won the board battle 38-32 and forced 25 turnovers, while committing 18.
This is the Peacocks lowest point total since scoring 35 at Robert Morris to open last season. That was also the last time that Saint Peter's failed to reach 40 points in a game.
Saint Peter's will return to Jersey City for their final two home games of the regular season. On Saturday they will host Hartford in a Sears Bracketbuster Series game at 2pm.
