WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Tyler Nelson scored a game-high 19 points, one of three Stags in double figures, but the Fairfield University men's basketball team could not overcome a second-half surge by Monmouth University and fell by a 91-67 score.

                Fairfield stayed in the game for the entire first half and the start of the second half, trailing by six points at intermission and by five with 13:14 to go in the game. The Stags were successful inside the paint tonight, netting 30 points in the lane. But it wasn't just the big men who were able to score down low. A fair number paint points came from the guards' ability to penetrate and finish or give the ball up once the Monmouth defense collapsed.

                In the first half, Fairfield trailed by 11 points with five minutes left but back-to-back baskets by Jonathan Kasibabu brought the deficit down to seven points at the 3:40 mark. The Stags were able to shave one more point off the Monmouth lead after Tyler Nelson posted a pair of free throws with 42 seconds remaining, sending the team into the locker room with the score 40-34.

                Head Coach Sydney Johnson brought Matija Milin off the bench early in the second half and it benefitted the Stags in those opening minutes of the second half. The Hawks were able to run their advantage to 14 points by scoring 11 of the first 14 points of the second half. When Johnson sent Milin into the game, the freshman promptly scored seven straight points off a three-point shot and a couple of inside baskets that cut the deficit in half at 51-44 with 14:43 left.

                After Josh James stopped the Milin run, Marcus Gilbert took over and posted back-to-back layups that closed the lead to five points at 53-48. Monmouth quickly regained its double-figure edge after Austin Tilghman completed a three-point play and Collin Stewart connected from three-point range to make it a 59-48. Gilbert converted one of two free throws for the Stags' next point to bring the team with 10 points, but Fairfield would not come closer than 10 points the rest of the way.

                Gilbert ended the game with 12 points while Jerry Johnson Jr. came off the bench to post 10 points for the Stags. Monmouth placed seven student-athletes in double figures, led by Tilghman's 16 points. Justin Robinson just missed a double-double with 12 points and nine rebounds. The guard also added five assists and three steals to his game totals.

                Fairfield has a quick turnaround with its next game coming on Sunday when the team hosts Manhattan College at Webster Bank Arena. The game is part of a doubleheader with the women's team tipping things off against Siena at 1 pm. The men's game follows with a scheduled tip time of 3:30 pm.