BUFFALO, N.Y. – The inside game of the Fairfield University men's basketball team was effective against Canisius College as
Wassef Methnani scored 18 points while
Jonathan Kasibabu added 12 points but their play could overcome a long scoring drought in the second half as the Stags fell to the Griffs by an 81-63 score at Koessler Athletic Center. Methnani and Kasibabu combined for 13 field goals, the same number scored by the rest of the team tonight. Methnani (8 of 11) and Kasibabu (5 of 7) combined to shoot 72 percent (13 of 18) in the game.
The duo may have had an even bigger impact had foul trouble not saddled both players with Kasibabu fouling out and Methnani playing with three fouls for most of the night. But in the end it was a 21-6 Canisius run in the second half that really put this game out of reach.
The opening half featured two teams that could not take a firm foothold of the game as neither squad built a lead larger than seven points. The Stags seemed to take early control by taking an 8-2 lead after
Ferron Flavors Jr. netted a pair of three pointer to start the game. Canisius would erase that deficit and secure a seven-point advantage after Selvedin Planincic's three pointer pushed the score to 37-30 with just over five minutes left.
Nelson, who had not scored in the first 15 minutes of the game, finally worked open and found some shots that he converted into points. He was responsible for nine of the team's final 13 points of the half including the tying points with two-tenths of a second on the clock which sent the two teams into the locker room deadlocked at 43-43. The Griffs seemed destined to take a two-point lead into halftime but an inbounds pass with two seconds left was blocked by Nelson. The senior scooped up the ball and went to the basket where he was fouled by Takai Molson, setting up the two charity tosses.
While Nelson held court in the closing minutes, it was the play of
Wassef Methnani that kept Fairfield close during the middle 10 minutes of the game. The freshman posted 12 points in his 12 minutes of action and added a pair of blocks with an assist, all of which served as a catalyst when Canisius seemed ready to take control.
Fairfield scored on its first two possessions of the second half off layups from Kasibabu and Cruz. However, the two baskets would represent the only field goals for the Stags in the first 10 minutes of the half. With Fairfield missing 11 of 12 attempts during that time, Canisius went on a 17-2 run that gave the Griffs a solid 66-49 lead with nine minutes left in the game.
Methnani converted a layup at the eight-minute mark to stem some of the Canisius momentum, ending a four-minute drought for Fairfield, and making the score 66-51 at the 7:38 mark. Fairfield was able to keep the deficit in that range for most of the game, getting stronger inside play from Kasibabu and Methnani that proved effective. A couple of three pointers at the end allowed Canisius to post its final margin of 18 points.
Tyler Nelson finished the game with 13 points to help the Stags cause. Jermaine Crumpton scored a game-high 21 points while Malik Johnson chipped in with 15 points for the Griffs. Both of those Canisius players completed a double-double with 10 rebounds each.
