Box Score
 
           BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Ryan Olander registered a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, including 12 second-half points, to lift the Fairfield University men's basketball team to a 65-55 win over Loyola University in the Stags' Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opener. Derek Needham and Yorel Hawkins also reached double figures with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

            The Stags never trailed and were tied only once in the opening half which came at 2-2 just two minutes into the game. Fairfield's defense was stifling once again, not allowing the opposition to reach 20 points by halftime. In the team's last outing, Fairfield surrendered just 13 first-half points against Savannah State. The big difference today was that the Stags' offense clicked and scored 35 points, its best first-half output with the exception of 47 points against Norfolk State.

            Ryan Olander gave the Stags a 2-0 lead on their first possession, but Loyola would tie on the next possession with a pair of Erik Ethlerly free throws. Fairfield's defense would clamp down on the visitors from that point and not allow a basket or a point until Robert Olson hit a three-point shot at the 10:47 mark. By that time, the Stags lead had reached double figures at 14-3, so Olson's shot brought it back down to a single digit at 14-6.

            Olson's shot gave the Greyhounds some life, enough to bring the team to within five points at 14-9 with 8:56 remaining. Fairfield put together a 21-4 run after that Loyola hoop, which put the Stags well in control at 35-13 with 90 seconds left. Seven different Fairfield players scored during that stretch, including six from Derek Needham and four from Colin Nickerson. Jamel Fields also added his own three pointer, while Warren Edney returned to the lineup and added a put-back basket. The Stags carried that momentum into the locker room with a 35-16 lead.

            Yorel Hawkins gave the Stags a slight boost at the start of the second half with back-to-back jumpers, but Loyola found its three-point range which allowed it to climb back within 13 points at 42-29 with 15 minutes remaining. Olson and Dylon Cormier hit three-point shots during that Greyhound run.

After a missed three-pointer by Needham, Loyola's Cormier made one of two charity tosses and Brian Rudolph's steal and lay up cut the deficit to 10 points at 42-32 with 13:59 on the clock. The Greyhounds cut further into the deficit when Jamal Barney, the team's top scorer, hit a three-point shot for his first points of the game which made the score 42-35 at the 11:38 mark.

            Shane Walker connected on a three pointer at the top of the key to bring the Greyhounds within four points at 42-38. Greg Nero broke the Stags scoreless streak by making one of two free throws that made the score 43-38, but a three-point play by Cormier made it a one-possession game at 43-41 with 10 minutes remaining. Needham answered with a driving lay up at the 9:38 mark, the team's first basket since the 17:06 mark, to push the lead to 45-41. After two more defensive stops, Ryan Olander hit both ends of a one-and-one situation to regain a six-point lead for the Stags.

            Loyola continued to cut into the lead, stringing together five straight points which included a three-point play by Barney for a 47-46 Fairfield lead with six-plus minutes remaining. Olander stretched the Fairfield lead to with six straight points on two lay ups and a pair of free throws, bringing the lead to 53-46. Olson stopped that run with a lay up, but those points were quickly negated with two free throws from Needham. After another defensive stop, Edney hit a baseline jumper that gave the team a nine-point lead at 57-48.

            The Stags still had their nine-point lead with a minute remaining, but the spread went to double figures after Maurice Barrow made one of two free throws for a 62-52 lead with just under a minute remaining.

            Olson led all Loyola scorers with 16 points, while Shane Walker added seven points and 13 rebounds to the Greyhounds effort.

            Fairfield returns to the court on Tuesday, December 7 when it hosts Howard University at Alumni Hall. Game time is slated for 7 pm.