SAVANNAH, Ga. – Fairfield University Men's Basketball faced a 40-31 deficit early in the second half against Evansville in Sunday's finale at the Hostilo Hoops Community Classic in Savannah. But the Stags conceded just 16 points over the final 14 minutes while netting 32 of their own to rally for a 63-56 victory. Caleb Fields scored 12 of his season-high 21 points during the comeback.
 
"Tonight was a gritty, hard-fought win at the end of a long weekend," said Head Coach Jay Young. "It wasn't pretty at times, but I was proud of the way we responded after falling behind in the second half – chipping away two points at a time, making our free throws and getting stops when we needed them."
 
Fairfield (2-5) finishes the weekend MTE at 2-1 with a win over previously unbeaten Towson on Friday and a two-point loss to Mercer on Saturday.
 
Fairfield, Towson, Mercer and South Alabama all went 2-1 at the event.  Evansville (2-6) went 1-2 in its three outings and Robert Morris was winless in Savannah at 0-3.
 
Fields' 21 points are the most scored in a game by a Stag this season. The Fairfield point guard shot 5-for-12 from the floor with one three-pointer and went 10-for-12 from the free throw line as he continually drew contact and converted his chances down the stretch. As a team, the Stags sank 20 free throws on 27 attempts during the final 14 minutes after making just three of their first seven tries at the stripe.
 
Allan Jeanne-Rose and TJ Long joined Fields in double figures with 12 points apiece. Supreme Cook added seven points and hauled in a game-high 11 rebounds, guiding Fairfield to a 39-29 advantage on the boards.
 
A five-point Fairfield lead at 19-14 was the largest for either side over the opening 20 minutes of the game, as Evansville struck last in a back-and-forth first half to send the teams to the intermission with the Stags in front, 28-27.
 
The Purple Aces opened the second frame with their best run of the day – a 13-3 stretch to claim their 40-31 lead with 14:09 to go. The Stags would erase that margin with nine straight points sparked by a Long three-pointer before the Aces netted four in a row to reclaim a 44-40 edge.
 
The deficit grew to five points at 48-43 with 6:58 left before Jeanne-Rose scored in the lane then made a pair of free throws to bring the Stags back within a single point at 48-47. The Stags would get stops on six straight Evansville possessions and also put together a stretch of four consecutive trips with a score – mostly from the free throw line – to open up a 53-48 advantage with 3:19 to go.
 
The Stags iced the game with another strong defensive stretch while Fields continued to draw contact and go to the stripe, sinking seven of eight during that span as Fairfield put the game out of reach, up 60-52 with 30 seconds remaining. Zach Crisler would add 1-of-2 at the line in the closing seconds and Long sank a pair to close out the 63-56 final.
 
Evansville's lead guard Kenny Strawbridge led all scorers with 25 points with Yacine Toumi added 13 points and four rebounds for the Purple Aces.
 
The Stags' return to the Northeast marks the beginning of MAAC play as Fairfield heads to Manhattan on Thursday, Dec. 1 to end its season-opening, eight-game road trip against the Jaspers. The long-awaited debut at Leo D. Mahoney Arena is set for Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. against reigning MAAC Champion Saint Peter's.
 
"It's an exciting week ahead for sure, but our focus is on the things we need to improve on both sides of the ball and preparing to go down to Manhattan on Thursday," Young noted.
 
Season ticket package and single-game tickets for Fairfield Men's Basketball are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.