Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Sean Grennan led all Fairfield scorers with 14 points as the Stags men's basketball team dropped a 75-56 decision to Marist College in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference game at the McCann Arena. Coleman Johnson and Marcus Gilbert also reached double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

The Stags offense had trouble getting any traction in the opening eight minutes, missing its first 10 shots from the floor and committing six turnovers. The defense held its own against Marist, giving up only 13 points during that time. But with the offense not being able to put any points on the board, Fairfield found itself down by double figures before K.J. Rose was able to put the Stags on the board with a three-point play with 11:31 remaining in the half.

From that point, Fairfield's offense found its touch, shooting 57 percent from the field over the final 11-plus minutes of the opening half. Rose's drive kick started the offense as the Stags nearly cut that initial Marist lead in half with a 16-10 run which made the score 23-16 with 4:57 on the clock. Johnson was instrumental in that Fairfield run, scoring six straight points to close out the run. The deficit remained at seven points with two minutes left in the half at 25-18, but the Red Foxes scored four of the final five points in the half to make it a 29-19 game at halftime.

The Stags were seven of 14 from inside the three-point line during the half, but were only 1 of 10 from outside the arc. Doug Chappell was responsible for that long-range jumper which he scored at the 10:04 mark. Fairfield only turned the ball over once in the last 12 minutes of the half.

Fairfield was able to cut into the Marist lead early in the second half, pulling within six points twice at 29-23 and 32-26. Marcus Gilbert scored five of the team's first seven points of the half. After the Stags pulled within six points with 17:11 on the clock, Marist scored seven straight points off four free throws from Chavaughn Lewis and a three-point play from Manny Thomas to regain its 13-point advantage at 39-26 with 15:51 remaining.

Gilbert fired back with his first three pointer of the night to bring his team back within 10 points with 15:39 on the clock. That shot started a barrage of three pointers that helped the Stags pull within six points at 41-35, as Steve Smith and Sean Grennan each wrapped a three pointer around a pair of Manny Thomas free throws during the 9-2 run.

Marist quickly pushed the lead back to double figures when Thomas posted two more free throws while Jay Bowie and T.J. Curry connected on back-to-back three pointers to make it 49-35 with 12 minutes remaining. The Red Foxes would continue to add to their lead by putting together a 13-7 run over the next six minutes to push the advantage to 20 points at 62-42 with 5:19 on the clock.

The Stags came as close as 16 points in the closing minutes, pulling within 68-52 with 2:54 remaining.

Fairfield returns to action on Saturday, January 4 when it heads to Manhattan College for a MAAC match up. Game time is 7 pm.