FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The men's basketball team stood at midcourt and pointed to the 1,900 fans who packed Alumni Hall on Friday night, a fitting tribute to the Fairfield faithful who provided the energy that helped the Stags post a thrilling 82-81 overtime win against Columbia University, the Stags third straight victory. It was hard to determine who was basking in the celebration more – the team or the crowd. But either way, it was a good night for Fairfield basketball.

                “I think it's great to be on campus and reward our fans who came out,” Head Coach Sydney Johnson said. “It was a great crowd so I think there was a little more energy.”

                And what the crowd did not provide, senior Marcus Gilbert was there to make the difference. The forward posted a career-high 33 points in the win against Columbia, his second straight 30-point performance, and netted four key free throws in overtime that helped push the Stags over the top.

                This game could not have been any closer as it featured 16 ties and 20 lead changes, including two ties and three lead changes in the five-minute overtime. But every time Columbia managed to make a move, the Stags were there to answer the challenge. With the score tied at 66-66, Grant Mullins pulled up with a three-point field goal to give the visitors a three-point edge with two minutes remaining. On the next possession, Gilbert tossed in his own three pointer to knot the score at 69-69.

                He added a free throw on a two-shot foul for a one-point lead, which became a three-point advantage after Jonathan Kasibabu's dunk with 16 seconds remaining in regulation. This time, it was Columbia's turn to answer and it did just that with a Mullins three pointer with six seconds left to send the game into overtime.

                Matija Milin opened the extra period with a pair of free throws but that lead was short lived as Maodo Lo's three pointer pushed Columbia in front 75-74. Gilbert added four straight free throws over a 30-second span to give Fairfield its biggest lead of the overtime at 78-75 with 2:47 on the clock. Columbia scored the next five points off a three pointer from Alex Rosenberg and a dunk from Luke Petrasek, making it an 81-80 game with 26 seconds left.

                The Stags grabbed the lead on its next possession after Tyler Nelson was fouled with 12 seconds left in overtime. The sophomore calmly sank both free throws which provided Fairfield with an 82-81 edge. Columbia had the last possession and Lo's long-range shot fell short with three seconds remaining, ending the game.

                Lo finished with 23 points while Mullins and Rosenberg each had 18 points for Columbia. Nelson contributed 11 points while Milin posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for Fairfield.

                It was the third straight game in which Fairfield scored more than 80 points in a game, showcasing the Stags' ability to run up and down the court and put points on the scoreboard.

                “We have some young guards who can make some open court plays so as we develop their skill, we have to let them go,” Coach Johnson said. “We have some big guys who can also run the floor so the style certainly complements the talent. But we also recruited this talent so we can play this style. This is what we do. We share the ball; we make shots; we play hard;  and we support each other. If it looks like we are having fun, just ask our guys because it's how we are everyday in the gym.”

                Now the only question is who is having more fun – the players, the coaches, or the fans?