JERSEY CITY, N.J. – It was a battle for the Fairfield University men's basketball team from the opening tip. The Stags made just one of their first 10 shots and surrendered the first eight points of the game but still fought back time after time. In the end, Saint Peter's managed to hold off a late surge by the Stags and escape with a 72-68 win at the Yanitelli Center. The decision ended Fairfield's six-game winning streak. 

                Sophomore Tyler Nelson and freshman Matija Milin combined for 41 of the team's 68 points with Nelson leading all scorers with 25 points. Milin came off the bench and was the top reserve with 16 points. And in the second half, Jerome Segura scored all 13 of his points and dished off eight assists, giving him a hand in nearly all of the Stags' second-half baskets.

                Saint Peter's opened the game with three baskets on its first three attempts, and added another pair of points on its fifth possession. The Stags stopped the run when Nelson converted two free throws, the first of seven charity tosses he would make in the opening 20 minutes. Nelson posted the team's first field goal as well, a three-point shot that brought the score to 8-5 with 14:41 remaining in the half.

                Fairfield would eventually tie the game at 15-15 following Kevin Degnan's reverse layup with 8:24 on the clock. Milin tacked on a layup off a steal by Nelson that gave the team's its first lead at 17-15. Antwon Portley netted a three pointer on the next play that pushed the home team back in front. The two teams would play through two more ties at 20-20 and 22-22 before Cameron Jones put the Peacocks in front with a three pointer at 25-22 with 6:14 left.

                The Stags regained the lead late in the half after a three-point play by Gilbert pushed the team in front, 35-34 with under a minute left. Nelson added a layup to keep the lead at one with 30 seconds on the clock. But Portley's jumper close to the buzzer sent the Peacocks into the locker room with a 38-37 lead at halftime.

                Fairfield tied the game early in the second half off a Jonathan Kasibabu free throw that made it 40-40 with 18:33 on the clock. Chazz Peterson came down court and netted a three pointer to regain the edge for Saint Peter's at 43-40, a lead that the Peacocks would not surrender but come did come close on a couple of occasions.

                The Stags pulled within a point three times, the last of which came at 66-65 with 1:34 remaining. Each time, Saint Peter's responded with points and was able to stay in front. Trevis Wyche was responsible for the late heroics, using his three-point play to give his team at 69-65 advantage with 40 seconds on the clock.

                Quadir Welton paced Saint Peter's with 20 points and 12 rebounds while teammate Elias Desport posted 12 points.

                Fairfield finished the regular-season with an 18-12 overall record and a 12-8 MAAC mark. Saint Peter's also has a 12-8 MAAC record and improved to 14-15 overall. The Stags will now focus on the MAAC Tournament which takes place next week at the Times Union Center in Albany, N.Y. The tournament pairings will be available following tomorrow's conference slate of games.