KINGSTON, R.I. – Louis Bleechmore set a pair of career highs with 24 points and 12 rebounds to record his first collegiate double-double on Thursday evening at Rhode Island. Brycen Goodine added 22 points for the second straight game and Michael Rogan had 16, but Fairfield University Men's Basketball was on the short side of a 93-80 decision to the host Rams.
 
Bleechmore tallied 19 of his game-high 24 points in the second half as the Stags scored 56 points after the intermission. Fairfield knocked down 10 of its 13 three-pointers after the break and committed only four second-half turnovers. The 56 marks the highest scoring half for the Stags against a Division I opponent since netting 58 en route to a 104-85 win over Niagara during the 2017-18 campaign.
 
Jasper Floyd was the fourth Stag in double figures this evening at the Ryan Center with 11 points and was just shy of a double-double with nine assists. Rounding out Fairfield's 80 points were Peyton Smith with five and Matt Curtis with two.
 
In addition to Bleechmore's dozen rebounds – six of which came from the offensive glass – Floyd nabbed seven boards and Smith pulled in five.
 
Rhode Island was led by 22 points from Jaden House on 9-for-11 shooting. David Fuchs added a double-double down low, scoring 15 points and corralling 11 rebounds.
 
House fueled a fast-paced attack for the hosts early, netting 18 of the team's first 22 points sparked by a 4-for-5 effort from distance. Goodine countered with 11 points in the opening stretch of action to keep the Stags within striking distance down 22-15 at the midway point of the half. But the Rams were the first to find a second scoring option in David Fuchs, who tallied nine points from the post to steadily build their lead. With the Stags mired in a shooting slump – going without a field goal for the final six minutes of the period – Rhode Island extended the margin to its largest of the frame at 49-24 entering the break.
 
URI continued to fill the basket in the second half, growing its lead to 75-41 with 9:35 to go. The Stags' offense started to hit its stride at that point via a three-point play for Bleechmore, a triple for Goodine and then back-to-back Rogan treys. The three-point barrage continued with three more from Bleechmore and one apiece from Goodine and Rogan. At the final horn, the Stags had trimmed the deficit by a full 21 points down to 93-80. The Stags outscored the Rams, 56-44, in the second period.
 
"In the second half, we showed some signs of the team we are capable of being this season. The effort and the intensity were there for 40 minutes, but we need to be more consistent in our execution," said Interim Head Coach Chris Casey. "We've learned a lot about ourselves over these first two games, and we will continue to work hard and improve as we go through the non-conference portion of our schedule."
 
Up next, Fairfield takes to George Bisacca Court at Leo D. Mahoney Arena for the first time in 2023-24 on Monday, Nov. 13 against Mount Saint Mary College. Opening tip is slated for 7 p.m.

Season tickets, flex plans and single-game tickets for Fairfield University Men's Basketball are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.