BRIDGEPORT, Conn. --
scored a season-high 31 points to lead the Fairfield University men's basketball team to a 74-52 win over Siena College at Webster Bank Arena. He tallied a personal-best eight three pointers in the game, tying for the second-highest single-game total in school history.
Fairfield never trailed in the game and was tied only once which came at 6-6 with 17:54 remaining in the first half. The Stags' first nine points came from behind the three-point arc with Needham making the first two shots and
Josip Mikulic adding the third three pointer. Fairfield followed with a 13-4- run to take its first double-figure lead at 22-10 with 10:19 remaining, the last points coming from Needham. The Stags would build their lead 19 points with 4:32 remaining at 34-15 after
Steve Johnston netted a three pointer. The Stags carried a 13-point lead into halftime at 36-23, led by Needham's 17 points.
Siena never came closer than 11 points in the second half which occurred after Trenity Burdine made two free throws on the team's first possession, cutting the lead to 36-25. Fairfield rebuilt its lead back to 19 points by scoring 14 of the next 20 points that made it a 50-31 score with 13:11 remaining in the game.
Colin Nickerson and
Amadou Sidibe both scored four points during that big run by the Stags.
Fairfield's biggest lead would reach 24 points with a minute remaining after
Keith Matthews' dunk pushed the score to 74-50. The basket capped Fairfield's 7-0 run that included a three-point play by Needham and a dunk from
Coleman Johnson.
Nickerson finished the game with 10 points, nine rebounds and five assists in his 31 minutes of work.
Marcus Gilbert and Mikulic each blocked three shots for the Stags. Evan Hymes paced the Siena offense with 14 points, making all three of his three-point field goals. Burdine and Imoh Silas contributed 11 and 10 points respectively for the Saints.
Needham just missed his career high of 32 which was set against Niagara University last February. He became the first Stag to make eight three pointers since Mike Evanovich netted eight against Rider in 2010. Evanovich would go on to set the school record with nine three pointers against George Mason in March, 2010.
Fairfield's next game takes place on February 18 at Webster Bank Arena as the Stags host Iona College. Game time is slated for 7 pm.
