Box Score

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Derek Needham scored a team-high 18 points, while Yorel Hawkins added 14 points as the Fairfield University men's basketball posted a 70-69 overtime win against Saint Peter's College. Hawkins scored four of points in overtime, including the Stags' only basket in the extra time.

The Stags dominated the Peacocks in the opening minutes, forcing five straight turnovers before Saint Peter's managed its first shot, a three-point shot late in the shot clock. At the 15:55 mark, Saint Peter's still had only one shot attempt. At the same time, the Stags attacked inside and built a 9-0 lead which included four points from Hawkins and a three-point shot from Needham.

After Fairfield built the lead to double digits with Maurice Barrow's lay up, the Peacocks broke through with their first points, a jumper from Ryan Bacon at the 15:03 mark. Needham gave the Stags their biggest lead to that point with a long three-point shot from the top of the key that made the score 14-2. The Peacocks put together a string of five points that put a dent in the Stags lead, as Wesley Jenkins made one of two free throws and Bacon back-to-back baskets to close the gap to 14-7. Fairfield came back with three straight points to regain its double-figure lead at 17-7 with 11:28 remaining.

Saint Peter's responded with nine straight points over the next three-plus minutes to pull within one point at 17-16 at the 7:43 mark, the last five points coming from Jeron Belin. The Stags ended a five-minute with Olander's 12-foot jumper at the 6:19 mark. Needham added a three-point shot to give the Stags more breathing room at 22-16. Belin kept his personal run of scoring going with another basket, giving the senior seven straight points for the home team. Needham came back down on the next possession and buried another three pointer for a 25-18 lead.

The Peacocks pulled back within one point following six straight points from Nick Leon, Belin, and Bacon which made the score 25-24 with 3:16 on the clock. Two minutes later, a steal led to a lay up by Steven Samuels that gave Saint Peter's its first lead of the game at 26-25 with 1:39 remaining. The edge was short lived as the Stags scored four points in five seconds with a jumper from Barrow followed by a steal and lay up by Jamel Fields for a 29-26 lead. Jenkins made one of two free throws to make the score 29-27, but Lyndon Jordan answered with a free throw for the Stags for a three-point edge. Saint Peter's tied the game at the buzzer off Nick Leon's three-point shot, making the halftime score 30-30.

The Peacocks scored the four points of the second half off a Leon three pointer and a one of two free throws from Jenkins. Fairfield put together six straight points after Jenkins' charity toss that regained the lead at 36-34. Hawkins scored four of those six points, while Olander added a layup. A free throw from the Peacocks preceded another Olander put-back basket for a 38-35 Fairfield advantage.

The Stags run continued when they scored six of the next eight points which improved the advantage to 45-37 with 13:09 remaining. Colin Nickerson was instrumental during that stretch with a fast-break dunk and a three-point shot as the shot clock expired. Fairfield saw its lead drop by a pair of points over the next six minutes, as the two teams locked into a defensive struggle resulting in a 49-43 edge at the 7:45 mark.

The lead remained at six points at 56-50 with 4:58 remaining with both teams making mini-runs only to have the opposition answer back. The biggest impact during that three minutes came when Needham and Hawkins were both called for their fourth foul. Soon after, Olander also picked up his fourth foul with four minutes remaining.

With foul trouble plaguing the Stags, Saint Peter's was able to pull within a point at 56-55 with 3:05 on the clock. Belin scored all five of the Peacocks points. Needham returned to the floor and promptly made a contribution with a three pointer to make the score 59-55 with 2:52 remaining. The score remained that way until a fast break basket by Samuels pulled the Peacocks within two points at 59-57 with 58 seconds left.

Fairfield was dealt a big blow when Needham picked up his fifth foul with 29 seconds left off an offensive foul. Saint Peter's tied the game with 19 seconds remaining when Jenkins scored on a driving lay up. Fairfield's shot at the buzzer did not fall, sending the game into overtime.

Fields scored the first points of overtime with a pair of free throws at the 4:23 mark. Belin made one of two charity tosses to cut the lead to one point at 61-60, but Barrow matched that on the next possession to make it a two-point lead again. Barrow went to the line again, but connected on both tries for a three-point edge at 64-61 with 2:29 remaining. Keeping serve, Belin was fouled inside on the next possession, but made both free throws for a 64-63 edge with two minutes left.

Hawkins made the first field goal of the overtime before Bacon erased those points with a pair of free throws to turn it back to a one point game with 1:15 left. Hawkins and Bacon exchanged baskets over the next 30 seconds, giving Fairfield a 68-67 lead with 13 seconds remaining.

Nickerson and Leon traded free throws on the ensuing possessions for a 70-69 lead with seven seconds left. Fairfield was tied up on the inbound pass after Leon's free throws, giving Saint Peter's one last chance. Leon's three pointer fell short as time expired.

Belin paced Saint Peter's with 21 points.

Fairfield returns home for its next game when it hosts Marist College on February 16 at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard. Game time is 7:30 pm.