NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Jamel Fields scored a career-high 21 points, including 15 in the second half, but the Fairfield University men's basketball team could not overcome a double-digit deficit in the second half in a 74-69 setback to Iona College.

Fairfield trailed by 15 points in the second half before using a 12-0 run that nearly erased that margin. But in the end, Iona held on to post its 20th win of the season.

Iona jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Stags put their first points on the board with Ryan Olander's jumper at the 17:08 mark. Derek Needham's drive to the basket tied the game at 4-4 with 16 minutes remaining. The game remained tied after the two teams traded baskets. Scott Machado broke the deadlock with a three-point shot, a lead that the Gaels would enjoy for the remainder of the half.

The Stags remained closed for the next few minutes, trailing 14-10 with 12:27 on the clock. Iona used a 12-4 spurt over the next four minutes to take its first double-digit lead of the game as the score stood at 24-14 after a three-point shot by Jermel Jenkins at the 8:23 mark.

Fairfield pulled within six points at 26-20 after a steal and lay up from Yorel Hawkins, and came a tad closer at 27-22 with three minutes left in the half. The Gaels scored seven straight points to take their biggest lead of the half at 34-22. Iona would eventual settle for an 11-point half time lead at 36-25. It marked only the second time this year that the Stags faced a double-digit halftime deficit, trailing Rider by 17 points on February 6.

Jamel Fields led all Fairfield scorers in the first half with seven points, making four of five free throws in the opening 20 minutes.

Iona improved on its half time lead by a pair of points in the opening four minutes of the second half, making the score 44-31 with 15:59 on the clock. Unfortunately for the Stags, Hawkins and Maurice Barrow were forced to the bench during that time after both picked up their third foul.

The Stags were able to trim the lead back to a single digit at 44-35 following a pair of free throws by Colin Nickerson. Iona responded by scoring 10 of the next 14 points which allowed the Gaels to take their biggest lead to that point at 54-39 with 10:58 remaining.

Fields took over the game from that point by helping the Stags score 12 straight points that closed the gap to 54-51 with 7:57 remaining. The freshman used a three-point play and back-to-back three point shots on three straight possessions to fuel the come back. Glover stopped the Stags run with a dunk following a timeout that made the score 56-51.

In the ensuing minutes, the Stags were dealt another blow when both Barrow and Hawkins were called for their fourth foul in a matter of a minute. Jenkins knocked down two free throws which came about after Hawkins' foul to push the lead to seven points, but Needham's jumper brought the lead back to five points at 58-53.

Iona would make it a seven-point lead at the 3:29 mark, before Barrow stepped to the line and made two free throws to make it a five-point game again at 62-57. Kyle Smyth went to the basket for two more Iona points, pushing the lead back to seven points, 64-57 at the 2:52 mark.

The lead remained at seven points until Fields scored five straight points to cut the lead back to three points at 68-65 with 1:21 remaining. The rookie hit a three pointer and added a pair of free throws to account for the points. Machado broke the string with a pair of free throws, a result of Needham picking up his fifth foul with a minute remaining.

Lyndon Jordan made the score 70-68 with a baseline three pointer with 43 seconds on the clock, his first points of the game. Smyth was fouled on his way to the basket, and the guard promptly made both shots to make it a two-possession game at 72-68.

Jordan was fouled while taking a three pointer, sending him to the line for three free throws. He made one of the three charity tosses to make the score 72-69. Trinity Fields put two points on the board for Iona with a breakaway lay up to make it a 74-69 lead. The Stags missed a three-point shot in the closing seconds, ending the come back bid.

The Stags finish the regular season with a school-record 23 wins and now set their attention to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament next weekend at the Webster Bank Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport. Fairfield will enter the tournament as the number one seed and will play Saturday, March 5 at 4:30 pm.

Tickets for the MAAC tournament are available at the Webster Bank Arena box office or online at www.ticketmaster.com.