Box Score
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Warren Edney scored a team-high 20 points while Derek Needham added 17 points as the Fairfield University men's basketball team posted a 91-56 win over Norfolk State University in the final game of the Philly Hoop Group Classic. The game was played at the Palestra in Philadelphia.
The Stags put together their best half of basketball this season in the opening half, which allowed the team to grab a convincing 47-22 advantage by the time the buzzer sounded. After not making more than six three-pointers in any one game this season, Fairfield netted six in the first 20 minutes of the game. Derek Needham scored all 12 of his team-high from behind the arc, while Colin Nickerson netted six of his eight points from three-point range.
Norfolk State grabbed a couple of leads early in the half, scoring the game's first points for a 2-0 lead, and following up with another basket one possession later for a 4-2 edge. Needham followed that basket with his first three-point shot that gave Fairfield the lead for good at 5-4. The lead grew to 9-4 after Keith Matthews scored back-to-back buckets, raising his scoring total to six points with less than four minutes elapsed.
The Spartans made the score 9-6 when Kyle O'Quinn grabbed an offensive rebound and put the ball back into the basket. The Stags went on a 19-4 run over the next six-plus minutes to take total control of the half at 28-10. Needham tallied nine points during that run, while Nickerson and Jamel Fields added three points each.
Norfolk State still trailed by 18 points after a pair of free throws by Pendarvis Williams made the score 40-22. Fairfield finished the half with seven straight points, three from Maurice Barrow to take its biggest lead to that point at 47-22.
The second half started differently for the Spartans as they were able to score a few baskets in the paint, using an 8-3 run to cut the lead to 20 points at 50-30. Fairfield answered with back-to-back baskets by Needham and Edney held off the Spartan spurt and rebuilt the lead to 24 points at 54-30.
After Rob Hampton made one of two free throws for NSU, Edney connected for three points for Fairfield as it took its biggest lead to that point at 57-31 with 14:22 on the clock. Fairfield would take a 28-point lead after Fields driving layup pushed the score to 62-34 with 13 minutes left on the clock.
Fairfield used its defense to create a couple turnovers which fueled another 8-5 advantage which increased the Stags lead to 31 points at 70-39 with 10 minutes remaining. The Stags lead reached as many as 39 points before settling for the final score of 91-56.
The Stags shot 63 percent from the floor overall and 62 percent from three-point range (8 of 13). The team also enjoyed a solid 39-30 advantage in rebounding led by Matthews' eight rebounds. Matthews also added a personal-best 15 points, while Fields also reached double figures with 15 points.
