ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Over the last couple of games, the Fairfield University men's basketball team received recognition for its defensive effort after allowing 58 points to Manhattan and 60 points to Monmouth. That effort was what propelled Fairfield into the semifinals of the 2021 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Basketball Championship semifinals. And once again, it was the team's defensive effort tonight that sent it to the MAAC championship game on Saturday afternoon.

              For the third successive night, Fairfield frustrated the opposition with its stifling defense which led the Stags to a 52-47 win over Saint Peter's University. The victory sets up a match up with Iona College for the MAAC Championship on Saturday afternoon at 4 pm on ESPNU with a berth to the NCAA tournament on the line.

              "We knew we were going to be in a battle tonight against a very physical team that plays a lot like us," Head Coach Jay Young said. "I thought the score was probably going to look like this so I am proud of our guys for hanging in there tonight. "

              Saint Peter's used the three-point shot to establish an early advantage, netting three in the first four minutes of the game. After the Stags jumped out to a 4-2 lead courtesy of a pair of Caleb Green driving layups, the Peacocks found their range from beyond the three-point line.

              Matthew Lee started the Saint Peter's run with a three-point shot from the top of the key that pushed his team in the lead at 5-4. Doug Edert followed with the first of his two three pointers in the half, stretching the lead to 8-4. Jake Wojcik responded with his own long-range jumper that brought the Stags within a point. Edert answered with another three pointer to regain the four-point lead, a shot that would start an 11-0 run that culminated with a Foussami Drame layup with 10 minutes remaining.

              Facing a 12-point deficit, the Stags began to put together some offensive consistency which started with a drive to the basket by Allan Jeanne-Rose. After a Drame free throw at the 6:28 mark, the Stags put together their own 11-point run which tied the score at 20-20 following a three-point field goal by Jesus Cruz. Supreme Cook started the run with four straight points.

              The Peacocks took a 24-22 lead into the locker room however as they managed to put a pair of baskets around a Cook layup to finish the first half scoring.
              "We started off slow and were lucky to only be down two at the half," Coach Young said. "But a lot of that was because of Saint Peter's and how they played us. But we grinded it out and changed some things up. I thought Jesus Cruz did an unbelievable job on KC Ndefo. Ndefo was having his way with some of our big guys so we made the switch and Jesus did a fantastic job."

              Just as Saint Peter's used the three-point shot in the first half, Fairfield found success from long distance at the start of the second half. Jesus Cruz started the half with a three-point field goal on the team's first possession to grab the lead for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

              Green extended the lead with a basket to put the Stags up three points but the lead was quickly dissolved when Edert netted another three pointer. Green regained that three-point edge with a shot from behind the arc before the Peacocks answered with seven straight to take the lead at 34-30.

              But just like it has done throughout the tournament, Fairfield turned to its defense to turn the game in its favor. The Stags outscored their opponent by a 16-2 count over the next 10 minutes which turned that deficit into a 10-point lead with five minutes remaining. Jake Wojcik netted five points while Cruz finished the run with the final four points to place Fairfield in the lead at 46-36.

              Fairfield still seemed in control with three minutes remaining, holding a 49-40 lead after Green connected on both ends of a one-and-one situation. The Peacocks finally found some offensive success down the stretch, scoring seven straight points to pull within a pair of points with just over a minute remaining. The Stags clamped down from that point and did not allow another Saint Peter's point while scoring the final three points from the free throw line.

              With seven wins in their last 10 games including four in a row, the Stags have a chance to complete this incredible finish to a season that was often uncertain.  

              "I love these kids because they have given everything they could," Coach Young said. "We did not start off well and there could have been a thousand reasons to pack it in but they never did. This is a result of them coming to practice with a great attitude."