FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Plays are called and plays are executed. But it comes down to how plays are finished that really matters. With the shot clock winding down and a violation looming,
Aidas Kavaliauskas stood well beyond the three-point line. The play was set up for
Landon Taliaferro, who made four three pointers in the first half, but he was doubled up, putting the onus on his classmate.
Kavaliauskas released the shot with the shot clock ready to turn to zero and the ball went through the basket with three-plus minutes left on the clock. They were just three of Fairfield's point total but they were key in finishing up the Stags' 68-60 win over Manhattan College on George Bisacca Court in Alumni Hall.
"We were running the play for Landon but with only six seconds left on the shot clock I knew that the play might not work out," Kavaliauskas said. "I was ready to take the shot and it went in. One day it goes in, another day it might not. Today it worked out for us."
"Aidas was huge because he made plays for us tonight," Head Coach
Jay Young said. "He had huge assists and made the big play with that three pointer when we really had nothing going on late in the shot clock so that was a key late in the game."
If the shot didn't fall, the Jaspers would have had a chance to turn the game into a one-possession game, an accomplishment considering they trailed 14 points in both halves. The Stags, who led from start to finish, never relinquished the lead as nearly every student-athlete made at least one big play when the team needed it most.
Landon Taliaferro found his touch once again and made six of seven shots from the floor, including four of five attempts beyond the three-point line, and all eight of his free throws to pace the offense with 24 points. More importantly, it was the senior's play in the opening minutes that set the Stags for success.
Taliaferro scored 11 of the team's first 16 points during the first four-plus minutes that enabled Fairfield to take a 16-2 lead with 15:28 remaining in the half. He netted three three-point field goals during that opening run and put Manhattan in catch-up mode for the entire night.
"They (the seniors) have been playing great," Coach Young said. "I was hoping that Landon would get a couple cleaner looks because of Manhattan's zone and that's what happened earlier. But the best number I liked from Landon was his four rebounds. I was on him to help us more than with just his shooting and he did that tonight. I was really proud of him."
The double figure lead stayed with the Stags for nearly the entire first half as Manhattan was able to cut it down to a single digit late and trailed by only eight points by halftime, 40-32. Taliaferro was responsible for 22 of Fairfield's first-half points.
The Stags opened the second half with six straight points to regain their biggest lead of 14 points after
Vincent Eze's layup made the score to 46-32 with 17:03 on the clock. Manhattan responded with five points from Wesley Williams that brought the lead back to nine points at 46-37 less than two minutes later.
The Jaspers continued to whittle away at the lead, coming within three points after Christian Hinckson's pull up jumper cut the deficit to 56-53 with five minutes remaining. A pair of free throws from
Taj Benning and the three-point shot by Kavaliauskas gave the momentum back to Fairfield. Manhattan came as close as five points with 2:42 left on the clock but the Stags held off the Jaspers late and won the game by eight points.
Kavaliauskas added 12 points and six assists to the Fairfield cause while Williams led all Manhattan scorers with 19 points. Fairfield only allowed two Manhattan offensive rebounds and no second-chance points in the game.
Fairfield will finish up its home stand on Wednesday, January 15 when it hosts Saint Peter's University at George Bisacca Court in Alumni Hall. The game is scheduled for a 7 pm tip.
