Box Score


                MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – The Fairfield University men's basketball team erased an 18-point second-half lead but still came up short in the closing minutes as the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee posted a 67-63 win over the Stags. Fairfield held a one-point lead with two minutes to go despite trailing by that deficit, but did not score in the final two minutes which enabled UWM to end the game with a 5-0 run to win the game.

                Wisconsin-Milwaukee started the game with the first four points of the game before Fairfield put points on the board with Colin Nickerson's put-back basket at the 17:39 mark. The Stags tied the game on their next possession when Rakim Sanders went to the basket for a 4-4 score. UWM regained the lead with Shaq Boga's basket, but Sanders tied the game for the second time one possession later for a 6-6 tie at the 15:24 mark.

                The Panthers took control of the first half with seven straight points, beginning with Tony Meier's three point shot. Paris Gulley and Demetrius Harris followed with baskets to give UWM its biggest lead to that point at 13-6 with 13:34 left. Maurice Barrow stopped the scoring streak when he made one of two free throws to cut the deficit to 13-7, which started a 5-0 run for the Stags. Once again, Sanders was in the center of the Stags scoring, connecting on two layups in 25 seconds to make it a 13-11 score with 12:17 remaining.

                The two teams traded baskets with Ryan Olander putting the Fairfield points on the scoreboard. The Panthers responded with six straight points to push the lead to eight points before Barrow's top-of-key jumper brought Fairfield back within six points at 21-15. Barrow's bucket would be Fairfield's last of the half as the Stags would score just one more point over the final seven minutes off a Sean Crawford free throw. Meanwhile, UWM put together an 11-1 run after Barrow's points to take a 30-16 lead into the locker room.

                Gulley opened the half with a three pointer to give UWM a 17-point lead in the first minute of the half. The Stags started a run right after that long-range basket, starting with a Sanders free throw. Nickerson stole the ball and went to the basket for a layup, which was followed by a Sanders basket on the team's next possession to bring the team within 12 at 33-21 at the 18-minute mark.

                The Panthers stopped the run with a free throw by Boga, but Fairfield came right back down court and erased that free throw with Derek Needham's first points of the game to cut it to 34-23. Things took a turn against the Stags over the next few minutes. Keith Matthews was called for his fourth foul at the 15:42 mark after Ryan Allen scored a basket. A missed free throw led to another foul called on Matthews which was his fifth. During the sequence, Fairfield's bench was whistled for a technical foul, which led to two more free throws for a 38-23 lead. On the ensuing possession, Meier added another three point basket to push the lead to 41-23, completing a 7-0 run over just 38 seconds.

                The lead remained at 18 points at 45-27 before the Stags began to cut into the lead. The Stags went on a 13-6 run to pull within 11 points at 51-40 at the 8:56 mark. Sanders was again in the mix during that comeback, scoring six points which included four from the free throw line. Nickerson's defense was also forefront to this comeback, picking his third steal which led to a layup to make it 51-40.

                After a timeout by UWM, the Panthers scored off a Meier jumper and then added a layup when Kaylon Williams stole the ball and went to the basket to push it back to 15 points. Sean Crawford regained some of that Stags momentum with a long three pointer that brought it back to 12 points 55-43.  Kelm added a free throw to make it a 13-point lead at 56-43, but Crawford kept the Stags in the game with a four-point play that included a three-point shot and a free throw. That play started an 18-4 run that enabled the Stags to take their first lead of the game following Olander's three pointer that made the score 61-60.

                A pair of free throws by Boga gave UWM the lead again, but that was taken away with a basket by Sanders for a 63-62 edge for the Stags. Unfortunately, it would the last points scored by the Stags as the Panthers went on a 5-0 run to end the game and post the 67-63 win.

                Sanders finished the game with 21 points and nine rebounds, while Nickerson was the only other Stag in double figures with 11 points. Gulley led all Panthers with 19 points, while Meier added 19 points.