BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Consistency doesn't capture headlines. Consistency doesn't earn praise. But consistency wins basketball games and sophomore Tyler Nelson has been consistently helping the Fairfield Univeristy men's basketball team earn victory after victory over the last few weeks.

Fairfield has won three straight games including tonight's 84-77 decision over Canisius College at Webster Bank Arena behind a career-high 25 points from freshman Curtis Cobb and 22 points from Nelson.

Nelson has been at the heart of the  team's recent success. The sophomore has scored 20 or more points in seven of the last 12 games, more than any other Stag during the team's current run. He is averaging 19.1 points per game over the last 12 contest, raising his scoring average to 16 points every forty minutes.

"The consistency comes from developing more facets of his game," Head Coach Sydney Johnson said. "He's always been a shooter but he leads us in free throws which means he's driving the ball well and now he's a threat to go the basket. He's a sound ball handler so I can put him back on back up point guard sometimes. And I've said it a hunderd times, he's a coach on the floor. He's consistent because of all those ways that he can affect a game. I zeroed in on him over the summer and told him he's got to get to the rim because people will be chasing him off the (three-point) line so he's needs to get to the rim and finish. He's doing that in every game."

To illustrate Johnson's point, Nelson made nearly half of his baskets from behind the three-point arc over the first 15 games of the year (31 three pointers, 68 total field goals). Since the Monmouth game, Nelson has 35 field goals to his credit with only 11 coming from behind the arc.

But Nelson is not the only model of consistency on this roster. As a team, Fairfield continues to play its freestyle of basketball that has led the team to eight wins over the last 12 dates. In those 12 games, Fairfield has reached the 80-point mark six times and won every one of those match ups.

Tonight, the 80-point mark did not seem achievable for the Stags as they struggled early in the game. Canisius opened with 10 straight points before the Stags were able to mount any type of offense. Fairfield broke through on a layup from Jonathan Kasibabu, which kicked off a 9-2 run that brought the home team within three points at 12-9. Fairfield would not secure its first lead until Cobb's three pointer broke a 21-21 tie with 6:17 on the clock.

The Stags would still hold their three point lead at 29-26 but the Griffs put together eight straight points, including four free throws by Kevin Beeker to take a 34-29 lead with under three minutes left. Beeker was not the only Griff to take advantage of free throws as the team finished the half a perfect 14 of 14 from the line. Canisius held the lead at the half, 36-34 after Malcolm McMillan broke a tied score with a pair of free throws with five seconds remaining.

Canisius ran its halftime lead to nine points in the first five minutes of the second half, taking command 54-45 with 14:25 on the clock. Beeker had eight points during the opening run. The Stags methodically cut into the deficit over the next few minutes, eventually tying the score at 56-56 after Nelson made three free throws with 9:09 remaining.

After a few lead changes, Fairfield took the lead at 62-60 after Scott King Jr.'s layup with 6:37 remaining and would not trail again. Canisius managed to tie the score one more time at 69-69 but Marcus Gilbert's three pointer put the Stags in front for good. Canisius took to fouling in the final minute to keep hope alive, but Fairfield made all eight free throws in the final 36 seconds to keep control.

“A lot of our wins have come under adversity often in the second half where we have fallen behind or a team has tied us but these guys keep playing," Johnson said. 

Fairfield will finish up its three-game home stand on Monday night when it hosts Quinnipiac University at Webster Bank Arena. Game time is 7 pm.