Box Score

                RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Rakim Sanders tallied a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds but the Fairfield University men's basketball team came up two points short as Manhattan College posted a 53-51 win over the Stags at Draddy Gymnasium.

                The Jaspers opened the scoring with a pair of free throws at the 18:24 mark, but the Stags netted the next four points off a Ryan Olander layup and a pair of free throws from Maurice Barrow.  Manhattan tied the game on two more free throws, and the game would remain tied at 6-6 and 8-8. Colin Nickerson eventually provided with a little more separation with a three-point play, making the score 11-10 with 13:23 on the clock. Olander added another pair of free throws for a three-point lead at 13-10.

                Fairfield would eventually take a 10-point lead at 24-14 following a basket from Rakim Sanders. That lead would evaporate over the next five minutes as Manhattan would end the first half with a 13-3 run, tying the score on George Beamon's three pointer at the buzzer, sending the two teams back into the locker room deadlocked at 27-27.

                Seven different Fairfield student-athletes scored in the opening half, led by six points from Olander and five each from Sanders and Jamel Fields. Beamon's late surge of three straight three pointers to end the half helped the junior conclude the first half with 13 points.

                The second half was more of the same as both teams played hard-nosed defense that often disrupted shots and kept the opposition off balance. Neither team could establish much of an offensive flow, resulting in three lead changes and ties in the opening five minutes.

                The see-saw battle continued through the second media timeout with Fairfield holding a slight edge at 39-38 with 11:52 remaining in the half. The Stags established a foothold with a 6-1 spurt that put them in front 45-39, a run that was ignited by a dunk from Sanders and a three-point shot off the hands of Sean Crawford. A few minutes later, Crawford traded a Manhattan layup for his second three pointer that pushed the advantage to seven points at 48-41 with 7:15 remaining.

                Manhattan cut into the lead with a pair of free throws, and followed with a defensive stop at the six-minute mark. With the Jaspers threatening to make a run,  Maurice Barrow came up with a huge block on what appeared to be a sure layup, which allowed Fairfield to add to its lead off a Wade free throw to make the score 49-43. Kidani Brutus hit a three pointer to cut the lead in half at 49-46 and Brown followed with a dunk on the next possession to put the home team within a point at 49-48 with 4:29 on the clock.

                The Jaspers would continue its come back and eventually take the lead when Brutus made another three pointer that pushed the Jaspers in front at 52-51 with 2:26 remaining. Michael Alvarado doubled that lead when he made one of two free throws, shots that were set up after Derek Needham picked up his fifth foul, which made the score 53-51 with 17.8 seconds remaining.

                Fairfield had one last chance to tie or win the game but Wade's three-pointer with two seconds on the clock hit off the front rim and evaded the closest Stag to end the game.