Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Four student-athletes scored in double figures on Monday night as the Fairfield University men's basketball team opened the 2010-11 season with an impressive 78-54 win over the University of Bridgeport in an exhibition game at the Arena at Harbor Yard. 

Three of those players did not appear in a box score a year ago, two who made their debut and the other a name that every Fairfield fan is happy to see back in the box score. Freshmen Keith Matthews and Maurice Barrow made their Fairfield debut by scoring 10 points, while senior Greg Nero returned to the hardwood by narrowly missing a double-double with 13 points and eight rebounds.

The fourth Stag to reach double figures should not be a surprise as guard Derek Needham started his sophomore season with a team-high 19 points with four assists in 36 minutes of work.

The Stags got off to a shaky start in the opening minute, and Head Coach Ed Cooley let them know it immediately. After Josh Martin went to the basket for a lay up, Cooley called time out just 43 seconds into the season for a brief chat with his players. After the time out, Martin pushed the Purple Knights lead to 5-0 before Nero broke the three-minute scoring drought with a lay up to make the score 5-2.

Needham tied the game with a three pointer at the 16:29 mark, before Jamel Fields put the Stags in front at 7-5 with 15:45 remaining in the half. The Fairfield run continued with four points to give the home team an 11-5 advantage with 14:43 on the clock. A couple of Martin free throws stopped Bridgeport's scoreless streak at more than three minutes, but a pair of Barrow charity tossed regained the Stags six-point lead.

Bridgeport fell behind by as many as 12 in the first half at 33-21 before it put together a 9-1 run over the final two-plus minutes to pull within four points at halftime, 34-30. The Purple Knights came as close as two points in the opening moments of the second half, 37-35 with 16 minutes remaining. However, Fairfield scored the next 11 points over a three-minute stretch to give the team its biggest lead at 48-35 with 12:30 remaining in the half. Hawkins had four points and Needham added three points during the run.

Fairfield's biggest lead of the game came at 69-45 with four minutes remaining, an advantage it would still hold at the final buzzer.

Martin led all Bridgeport scorers with 20 points, while Jermaine Washington added 13 points for the Purple Knights.

The Stags will play their final exhibition game of the season when they host Stonehill College on November 8 at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Game time is slated for 7:30 pm.