LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- It was one of those performances that people will talk about for a long time. Tyler Nelson scored a career-best 38 points to lead the Fairfield University men's basketball team to a 76-67 win over Rider University in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) opener for both teams. 

Nelson scored from anywhere on the court tonight, making six three-point field goals and connecting on all 10 of his free throws. But most importantly, the junior put points on the board whenever the team needed it the most. Case in point, Rider erased an early deficit late in the first half and took a three-point lead at 22-19 with eight minutes on the clock.

After Fairfield tied the game at 22-22 on a pair of Jerome Segura free throws, Nelson took control of the game by scoring the next 11 points for the Stags that turned the tied game into a seven-point advantage at 33-26 with three minutes to go. Jonathan Kasibabu broke Nelson's personal scoring streak with a pair of free throws that pushed the lead to 35-26, giving the Stags their biggest lead of the half with just over two minutes remaining. Fairfield would settle for a seven-point lead at halftime, 42-35.

Rider opened the scoring in the second half with a Norville Carey jumper that brought the home team within five points, 42-37. Nelson quickly quelled the momentum with his own jumper that regained the seven-point lead and started a 7-0 run that would raise Fairfield's lead to double figures for the first time at 49-37 with 16:34 remaining in the game. 

The lead hovered around 12 points for most of the half and even reached as high of 15 points after a pair of Segura free throws before Rider showed resilience and made a strong run at the Stags. With the score set at 63-48, the Broncs methodically cut into the deficit and came as close as five points with two minutes remaining in the game. With the score standing at 71-66, Amadou Sidibe and Nelson collected a pair of free throws that iced the game for Fairfield.

Not to be forgotten, Sidibe, who entered the game as the top rebounder in the MAAC, recorded his third straight double-double with his 10 points and 14 rebounds. This current run matches his three-game string of double-doubles set during the 2014-15 campaign.

The Stags will finish up its opening weekend of MAAC play with a road game against Siena on Saturday night. Game time is slated for 7 pm.