NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A 19-3 run late in the second half erased a 10-point deficit and propelled Fairfield University Men's Basketball to a 75-71 win over Ivy League preseason favorite Yale on Wednesday evening at the John J. Lee Amphitheater in New Haven. Jasper Floyd scored a career-high 25 points in the in-state victory.
 
The Stags, who defeated MAAC preseason pick Rider on Sunday, improve to 3-6 on the season, while Yale drops to an even 5-5. The Bulldogs had won 12 consecutive games against Connecticut opponents and, including tonight, are 83-17 in their last 100 home contests overall.
 
"This was a really good road win and good step forward for us. Coach Jones's [Yale] teams are outstanding every year and always well-coached, and for us to comeback when we were down like that says a lot about the guys in our locker room. I will never doubt our fight for a second," said Interim Head Coach Chris Casey.
 
Floyd's 25 points came on 8-for-13 shooting from the field. The junior point guard knocked down all three of his three-pointers and was 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Caleb Fields joined him in double figures with 16, and Jalen Leach added 15.
 
In the post, Peyton Smith tallied eight points with a team-best six rebounds. James Johns Jr. contributed five points, Louis Bleechmore had four and Brycen Goodine capped the scoring with a pair. As a unit, the Stags shot 27-for-59(45.8%) from the field, 8-for-24 (33.3%) from three-point range and 13-for-18 (72.2%) from the free throw line.
 
Floyd was also the Stags' top facilitator with four assists and had three steals as the Stags pressured the Bulldogs into 14 turnovers.
 
Yale was led by 14 points from Matt Knowling and 13 apiece by Bez Mbeng and John Poulakidas. Nick Townsend nearly registered a double-double for the Bulldogs with eight points and 10 rebounds.
 
The first half was back-and-forth from the jump with five ties and seven lead changes over the opening 20 minutes. Floyd sparked the offense with 12 points in the frame, the last coming on a step-back triple to put the Stags on top, 29-25, with 4:10 remaining. However, Fairfield would not score again before the intermission as Yale surged in front, 33-29, heading into the break.
 
Yale, which converted just one of its seven three-point attempts in the opening half, knocked down 4-of-7 to start the second frame, expanding the margin to double figures for the first time at 55-45 midway through the period. At that point, a quick 6-0 run featuring four Floyd points and a Smith tip-in had the Stags back within four points at 55-51, but Yale responded in kind with six straight to regain a double-digit advantage at 61-51 with 5:42 to go.
 
The Fairfield comeback began with six straight points, punctuated with a thunderous dunk from Smith to cut the margin to 61-57 and induce a Yale timeout with 4:03 left. The Stags got another stop after the timeout, and Floyd drained a trey to make it a 61-60 game. After a Bulldogs' free throw, Fields knocked down a three-pointer to stake the Stags to the lead they would not relinquish. Leach followed with a steal and a layup on the other end, before Yale's Danny Wolf hit two free throws to make it a 65-64 Fairfield lead.
 
The Elis got the stop they needed on Fairfield's next trip, but the Stags forced an empty trip on the other end. An offensive board by Smith extended the Stags' next possession and Fields cashed in on the opportunity with another triple to stretch the lead to 68-64 as the game entered its final minute. Leach added a pair of free throws to cap what amounted to a 19-3 run over a span of 5:15, putting the Stags on top by a 70-64 count. Floyd would add three late free throws, neutralizing a Yale halfcourt heave that banked in at the buzzer, to round out the final score at 75-71.
 
Fields scored 14 of his 16 points in the second half, shooting 5-for-7 from the floor and 3-for-4 from three-point range. Floyd netted 13 after the break, and Smith added all eight of his points after the intermission.
 
The Stags conclude their three-game road swing with the shortest possible trip – a jaunt across town to the Pitt Center to challenge Sacred Heart. Opening tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. with all of the action set to broadcast live on SNY.

Action returns to Leo D. Mahoney Arena next Sunday, Dec. 17 with a 2 p.m. visit from Wagner.