BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – A hot-shooting day for Fairfield University Men's Basketball kept the Stags in front of visiting Iona into the final minute of Tuesday afternoon's contest at Webster Bank Arena. But the defending MAAC Champion Gaels scored five points in the game's last 60 seconds to come away with an 80-76 decision. The Fairfield scoring effort was led by 24 points courtesy of the career-best eight three-pointers from Jake Wojcik.
 
As a team, the Stags (8-8, 2-3 MAAC) 26-of-51 (.510) from the floor and 13-of-26 (.500) from three-point range in the rematch of last season's MAAC Championship Game. The Stags added a solid 11-of-14 (.786) day at the free throw line. The showing marked the first time that Fairfield shot .500 or better from the field and beyond the arc since the MAAC Championship Quarterfinal win over Monmouth last spring.
 
Wojcik's eight three-pointers marked a career-high for the senior as he matched his season best of 24 points. Taj Benning also scored in double figures with 13 points and Supreme Cook battled foul trouble and Iona's formidable big man Nelly Junior Joseph to notch 10 points.
 
All eight Stags to take the court contributed to the scoring, with Caleb Green added nine points, TJ Long hitting two three-pointers on the way to eight points, Jesus Cruz scoring six, Zach Crisler tallying four points and Allan Jeanne-Rose finishing with two.
 
Cruz – a fifth-year graduate student – took the court for the Stags for the 139th time this afternoon, breaking the record of 138 established by Colin Nickerson. Cruz has not missed a game in his five seasons at Fairfield.
 
Crisler and Long shared the team lead with five rebounds apiece as the Stags were topped on the boards, 41-29. Iona grabbed 19 rebounds from the offensive glass, pacing them to 23 second-chance points and 52 points in the paint. The Gaels' physicality also sent them to the free throw line 29 times, converting 17 (.586).
 
"The two things that I was worried about most were them getting to the free throw line and offensive rebounds, and that was the difference in the game," said Head Coach Jay Young. "We've got to clean up a lot of stuff and have to figure some stuff out, but if we play with that energy and play that hard, we're going to win a lot of games."
 
The first run of the game went to the Stags, as back-to-back Wojcik treys keyed a 12-0 stretch that turned a 14-8 deficit into a 20-14 Fairfield lead. The Stags maintained that advantage for the duration of the first half, heading into the locker room with a 43-37 advantage.
 
The squads traded baskets for the majority of the second half as Fairfield battled to maintain their cushion. The lead ballooned to 11 points at 70-59 on a Benning three-pointer with 7:29 to play. However, that bucket would be Fairfield's last field goal for the next five minutes as the Gaels went on 12-0 run to take a 71-70 lead. The Stags responded with two Benning free throws and, after a stop, Cook put home a jumper in the paint to make it a 74-71 lead.
 
The back-and-forth continued to the 1:03 mark in the half, where Green sank a pair from the charity stripe to regain the lead for the Stags, 76-75. The Fairfield defense earned a missed bucket on the next Iona possession, but Tyson Jolly corralled and offensive rebound and put it home as the Gaels reclaimed a 77-76 lead. Iona tacked on a free throw to make it 78-76 with 13.5 seconds to play.
 
Off of a timeout, the Stags got the look they wanted with Wojcik hoisting a trey from the corner. But Jolly flew in and deflected the opportunity, leading to a loose ball underneath that went Iona's way. The Gaels added two free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining to round out the 80-76 final.
 
Iona (12-3, 4-0 MAAC) had five scorers in double figures, led by 20 points and 14 rebounds from Joseph, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Year. Backcourt tandem Jolly and Elijah Joiner each scored 14 points, and Dylan van Eyck scored 10 of his 13 in the second half.
 
Up next, the Stags begin a stretch in which they will play four of five contests away from Webster Bank Arena. That run begins on Sunday, Jan. 16 with a short trip up I-91 to challenge Quinnipiac.
 
The next home game on the slate is a Thursday, Jan. 20 visit from Monmouth.