POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. – Tyler Nelson put everything he had to help his team win this game. The senior scored 35 points, the last of which provided the Fairfield University men's basketball team with its last lead of the game at 80-79 with 49 seconds left in regulation. But Marist found a way to tie the game in the closing seconds to send the game into overtime. From that point, the Red Foxes would hold a lead throughout the overtime period and finish with a 95-89 victory over the Stags.

                Fairfield did all it could to come away with a win tonight, battling back from double-digit deficits in both the halves. And at the heart of those comebacks was Nelson, who scored 22 of his point total after halftime. When the Stags trailed by13 points, 66-53, with nine minutes remaining, Nelson started the rally with a three-point goal that started an 8-2 spur which brought the score to a more manageable 68-61 count.

                And when the team was trailing 73-64 with six minutes remaining, the Stags scored six straight points and Nelson provided the final four in that run. Fairfield would continue to whittle away at the Red Foxes' advantage until Aidas Kavaliauskas' layup tied the game at 77-77 with 1:40 on the clock. David Knudsen regained the edge for the home team on the next possession, but Nelson quickly erased it with a three-point field goal that sent the Stags in front, 80-79, with 49 seconds left.

                Marist was able to tie the game when its leading scorer Austin Williams made one of two free throws to make the score 80-80. Neither team managed any points on their final possession of regulation, sending the game into extra time.

                Ryan Funk, the team's top three-point shooting threat, sat on the bench for a good portion of the game due to foul trouble. But in overtime, the junior found his stroke and started his team with a pair of three pointers that set the stage for Marist's victory. The guard scored 10 of the team's 15 points in overtime.

                Fairfield still had a chance late in the game as Kavaliauskas' three pointer made it a one-possession game at 90-87 with 21 seconds left, but the Red Foxes made their free throws down the stretch to win the game.

                The first half followed a similar theme as Marist opened the game with Marist opening the game with the first 10 points. Wassef Methnani put Fairfield on the board with a three pointer and added a layup to cut the Marist lead to 12-5.

                The visitors continued to push their way back into the game until a pair of Nelson free throws tied the game at 24-24 with 6:30 remaining in the half. The charity tosses would be the beginning of a 14-8 run that would provide Fairfield with its biggest lead of the game, 34-28, with 3:47 on the clock. Nelson scored five of those points, while Ferron Flavors Jr. netted a three-pointer that gave the Stags their first lead of the game, 27-26.

                Kavaliauskas continued to impress with another strong effort, reaching double digits for the first time in his four appearances. The guard posted 14 points by making six of seven field goal attempts and both three-point tries. He completed his first career double-double with 10 assists. Jesus Cruz came off the bench to score 11 points. Methnani nearly posted a double double with seven points and nine rebounds but he would foul out before being able to add to those totals.

                The Stags have the week off and do not come back to competition until January 20 when they host Niagara University at Webster Bank Arena. Game time is 1 pm.