BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Opening night is supposed to be special, even magical at times. More than 3,000 fans witnessed one of the best opening night performances by a Fairfield University men's basketball team as the Stags posted an 85-63 win over Sacred Heart in the season opener for both teams. It marked the eighth time since the 1970-71 season that a Fairfield team tallied 80 or more points in a season opener.
If you need proof, take a look at the night Curtis Cobb enjoyed as the sophomore scored Fairfield's first 16 points and made all eight of his first-half field goal attempts to help Fairfield lead nearly wire-to-wire. Add in a double-double from junior Jerome Segura, who tied his career high of 17 points plus 10 assists, along with double-digit scoring from Jerry Johnson (13 points), Tyler Nelson (12 points), and Matija Milin (11 points) and one can see that there could be no better way to open a season.
"We are trying to get four guys into double figures as often as possible so we got one more than we hoped for," Head Coach Sydney Johnson. "We did this as a team and that's important. All of our guys have a green light and we want to get up and down the court so if someone has an open jumper, he will take it."
Sacred Heart scored the game's first points off a De'von Barnett jumper on the team's opening possession of the game. Cobb answered with four straight points before Sean Hoehn's three pointer pushed the Pioneers in front for the final time at 5-4 with 17:41 left on the clock. With the score tied at 7-7, Cobb tallied the next nine points for Fairfield which provided the team with a nine-point advantage, 16-7, with 14:36 remaining in the half.
After Joseph Lopez made a free throw to break up Cobb's run, Tyler Nelson became the first Stag other than the sophomore guard to score when his layup fell through the basket at the 13:40 mark, pushing the Fairfield lead to double figures at 18-8. The Pioneers came as close as six points a few minutes later as Mario Matasovic's three-point field goal cut the deficit to 19-13 with just under 12 minutes remaining. The visitors came one point closer with a minute left in the half at 35-30 but a layup by Segura and a three pointer from Matija Milin doubled that lead to 40-30 at halftime.
Segura opened the second half with a three pointer to give the Stags a 43-30 lead, but Sacred Heart was able to whittle it down to six points over the next six minutes, pulling within 50-44 at the 13:32 mark.
"I was happy with the way the team worked through the second half," Johnson said. "Sacred Heart didn't quit and played well offensively and defensively and they cut it to six and had us on the ropes. But we didn't break and I thought that was good for this team at this point of the year.. We don't want to break. We want to try and stay true to what we do and that showed up."
Fairfield answered with 11 straight points to take command at 61-44 as Segura paced the run with four points. The Pioneers never came closer than 10 points the rest of the way.
Quincy McKnight led all Sacred Heart scorers with 25 points and added nine rebounds to his line.
Up next, the Stags will travel to Dartmouth College for the first road game of the season on November 15.
