WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Caleb Fields hit a pull-up jumper with 5:58 to play, pulling Fairfield University Men's Basketball to within one point of host Wake Forest in Monday's 2022-23 season opener. But the Stags were outscored 18-5 over the ensuing five minutes as the Demon Deacons pulled away for a 71-59 decision. Fields led the Fairfield offense with 14 points in his regular season debut with the Stags.
Fields was one of the three Stags to net double figures, joined by Supreme Cook with 13 points and TJ Long netting 11 off the bench. Fields and Long each accounted for three of the Stags' eight three-pointers, with Brycen Goodine knocking down two from deep as Fairfield finished 8-for-29 (27.6%) from distance. The Stags were 21-for-55 (38.2%) from the floor overall and 9-for-17 (52.9%).
Wake Forest kept the Stags at arm's length in large part with a 12-for-14 showing from the free throw line during that final 5:58. The hosts went to the stripe 39 times in total, canning 29 charity tosses for the game (74.4%). The Demon Deacons shot 18-for-46 (39.1%) from the field and 6-for-22 (27.3%) from three-point range.
"We had some good moments for our first night out, but we've got to do a better job of defending without fouling. Supreme [Cook] was in foul trouble and we could never get him into a rhythm, which hurt us," said Head Coach Jay Young. "Wake Forest is a good basketball team. They defend, they're tough, they're physical. But we can't go on the road and let our opponents shoot 39 free throws."
Nine different Stags contributed to the scoring, with Goodine netting nine and Chris Maidoh adding four. The quartet of Allan Jeanne-Rose, Makai Willis, Jake Wojcik and Jalen Leach tacked on two points piece to round out the offense.
Jeanne-Rose led the effort on the boards with eight rebounds, as the Stags were clipped on the glass by a 39-33 margin. Cook hauled in five caroms with Willis and Fields each contributing four.
Just two players accounted for all over the scoring over the opening eight minutes as Wake Forest's Andrew Carr netted seven points to Cook's six for Fairfield. Goodine got into the act emphatically with a four-point play for his first points as a Stag to stake the visitors to their first lead at 10-7. Fairfield stayed in front out to a 25-22 edge on a drive and score from Jeanne-Rose, but that bucket with 4:19 left would mark the Stags' final points of the opening frame. Wake Forest poured in 10 over that span – a layup, a three-pointer and five free throws – to climb back in front and head into the locker room with a 32-25 advantage.
The deficit grew as large as 11 in the opening portion of the second half before Fields jumpstarted a run with a deep three-pointer to beat the expiring shot clock. Long would then can a pair of threes and a mid-range jumper to shrink the deficit to 48-42. After a stop, Jeanne-Rose extended a possession with an offensive board and found Fields for another trey. Following two Wake Forest free throws, Willis converted down low and then Fields nailed an elbow jumper to shave the margin all the way down to 50-49 with 5:58 to play.
At that juncture, Cameron Hildreth responded with a floater for the Deacs and a would-be game-tying three-pointer from Long rimmed out. Tyree Appleby grabbed the rebound and was fouled, sinking two free throws to extend the margin back to two possessions, and Wake Forest continued to get stops and convert on offense to pull away for a 71-59 victory.
Hildreth, Carr and Daivien Williamson each scored 14 points for the Demon Deacons, with Bobi Klintman joining them in double figures with 11.
Tonight's game marked the first of eight-straight away from home for the Stags. Up next is a return to New England to visit New Hampshire for a 1 p.m. matinee on Friday, Nov. 11. The Wildcats are 1-0 after topping Division III Brandeis, 79-47, in their season opener this evening.
The Stags' home opener at the new on-campus Leo D. Mahoney Arena is on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. against reigning MAAC Champion Saint Peter's. Season tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.
