NIAGARA UNIVERSITY, N.Y. -- Taj Benning scored a team-high 18 points, most of which came off a career high from three-point range, but the Fairfield University men's basketball team could not overcome a strong second half by Niagara University that led the Purple Eagles to an 81-61 win over the Stags.

The final score is deceptive in that Fairfield held several first-half leads and trailed by only three points at halftime. But the Purple Eagles scored nine of the first 12 points of the second half which provided a cushion for the home team, one that it would continue to build upon over the final minutes of the game. Fairfield enjoyed its finest shooting night of the season from long range, netting 11 of 22 shots for a .500 three-point field goal percentage, eclipsing its former high of .389 (7 of 18) against Hartford back in November.

Benning and Jalen Leach were primarily responsible for the sizzling shooting as Benning made four of six shots from behind the arc while Leach connected on four of five attempts from three-point range. For Leach, the shooting performance would lead him to a personal-best 16 points in addition to dishing off a career-best four assists in his 23 minutes off the bench. Newcomers Jake Wojcik and Zach Crisler also connected from behind the arc.

In fact, it was Leach who provided Fairfield with its first lead of the game when he connected on his first shot of the game, a long-range jumper that sent the Stags in front by a 7-6 score. Neither team could really gain a foot hold on a lead throughout the first half as each team managed to stay within a possession or two throughout the opening 20 minutes. The first half also saw three tied scores, the last of which came at 29-29 with 4:52 on the clock, and a couple of more lead changes. Fairfield pulled in front again when Zach Crisler netted a pair of free throws that pushed the score to 34-33 at the 2:34 mark. Niagara grabbed the halftime lead by making four free throws in the final two minutes while Fairfield missed two front-ends of a one-and-one situation during that same stretch.

Niagara used a quick start in the second half to take control of the game, pushing the lead to double figures at 54-44 with just under 13 minutes remaining. The advantage remained at 10 points at 64-54 with seven minutes on the clock before Benning hit a corner three-pointer that brought the deficit to seven points at the 6:04 mark. Fairfield pulled one point closer a few minutes later after two Wojcik free throws made the score 65-59. Niagara used an 11-0 run after Wojcik's points that pushed the score to 76-59 with 1:39 remaining. 

"We played a good Niagara team this weekend," Head Coach Jay Young said. "We didn't do the necessary things to win on the road. I am disappointed in the way we defended tonight and our offense let us down yesterday but our defense let us down today. We need to be more consistent on both ends to give ourselves a chance to win games."

The next opportunity for the Stags comes on Tuesday afternoon when they host Fairleigh Dickinson University at Alumni Hall. The game is set to tip off at 3 pm.