Box Score

                LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – Maurice Barrow tallied a double-double with 15 points and 16 rebounds, but the Fairfield University men's basketball team fell short of picking up a road win as Rider University posted a 65-62 decision. With the loss, Fairfield will enter the MAAC tournament as the number four seed and take on fifth-seeded Rider University on Saturday, March 3.

The Stags played the game without Derek Needham, who injured his foot in the Iona game last Friday evening.

                The Broncs built a 10-3 lead over the first three-plus minutes of the game, using a pair of three point shots to help create the advantage. Novar Gadson put Rider up 3-0 on the team's first possession, before the Stags tallied their first point when Maurice Barrow made one of two free throws. The stretch ended with Brandon Penn's three pointer that completed the 10-3 opening run.

                Still trailing by seven points at 12-5, the Stags ran off six straight points to come within a point at 12-11. Barrow tallied four of those points with Keith Matthews adding the third layup. The Broncs broke the string with a layup by Junior Fortunat, but Sean Crawford erased that three-point deficit with a four-point play. He netted a three-point shot from the corner and was fouled in the process. He tacked on the free throw to give Fairfield its first lead of the game at 15-14 with 10:58 to play in the half.

                Rider's Eddie Mitchell made a three-point shot to regain the lead for the home team and Jonathon Thomson added a pair of layups to push the lead back to six points at 21-15. Crawford struck again, this time from the elbow extended to cut that lead in half and make it a 21-18 game. Fortunat and Gadson raised the lead back to seven points with a pair of points each on consecutive possessions.

                The Stags answered with seven straight points to tie the game at 25-25 with the tying points coming on Crawford's third three pointer of the game. Rider closed out the final three minutes by scoring eight of final 10 points to bring a 33-27 lead into the locker room. Thomson scored five of those points, including a three pointer at the buzzer.

                The second half started with an 8-4 run that allowed the Broncs to take their first double-digit lead of the game at 41-31. Three pointers from Thompson and Penn were primarily responsible for the team's early success. Sanders scored all four of the Fairfield points to open the second half.

                The lead would reach 13 points with 14 minutes remaining after Jeff Jones made three free throws to make the score 46-33. The Stags brought it back to a single-digit deficit after Jamel Fields converted layups on back-to-back possessions, pulling the team within 46-37 at the 13:10 mark.

                The Broncs went back up by 11 points on the next possession, but the Stags would respond with a rare five-point possession. Fields made a layup and was fouled on the play. He missed the free throw but the Stags picked up the rebound. A few passes later, Fields made a corner three-point shot that brought the Stags within six at 48-42. The deficit was trimmed to three points when Matthews made good on a three-point play to make it a 48-45 game with 10:21 remaining.

                Once again, Rider would raise its advantage to six points at 55-49 with 7:56 left, but six straight points by the Stags tied the game at 55-55 with six minutes left. Sanders started the run with a layup while Barrow closed it with a basket and a pair of free throws. Rider regained the lead by making four of six free throws over three possessions to hold a 59-55 advantage with 3:36 remaining.

                Sanders brought Fairfield right back with a three-point play for a 59-58 score, but Gadson made two free throws on the other end of the court for a 61-58 lead at the 2:14 mark. After Sanders scored off a dunk, Gadson made two charity tosses to keep it at three points, 63-60 with 1:31 remaining. Sanders went back to the basket once again and brought his team within a point at 63-62.

                Gadson struck again with a layup with 31 seconds left to put the Broncs up three points at 65-62. The Stags tried a three-point shot with nine seconds left, but the ball kicked off the rim. Fortunat grabbed the rebound and was fouled, sending him to the line for a two-shot foul.  He missed both free throws, giving the Stags one more chance.

                However, the Stags three-point attempt caromed off the rim again to end the game .

                Sanders and Crawford both finished in double figures with 17 and 10 points, respectively. Gadson led all Rider scorers with 19 points, including the team's last eight points.