FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Supreme Cook scored a career-high 26 points and Caleb Fields knocked down five three-pointers en route to 21 as Fairfield University Men's Basketball defeated visiting Quinnipiac, 92-82, on Senior Night at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. Allan Jeanne-Rose added 18 points and nine rebounds to help lock up the win before a raucous crowd of 2,748 fans.
 
With the win, Fairfield finishes the regular season at 13-17 overall and 9-11 in the MAAC. The Stags will be the seventh-seeded team in the MAAC Championship, beginning their postseason on Tuesday, March 7 at 7 p.m. at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Fairfield's opening round opponent will be determined by results around the league on Saturday.
 
Quinnipiac moves to 19-11 on the season and 10-9 in conference play.
 
"I'm really proud of our guys. We beat a very talented and well-coached team in Quinnipiac," said Head Coach Jay Young. "There haven't been a lot of nights where our offense bailed out our defense, but tonight was certainly one of them. It was a great way to send our seniors off and to close out our first season in this beautiful building. I want to thank our fans, cheerleaders, dance team and band who have supported us all year."
 
The Stags' 92 points are the most for Fairfield against a Division I opponent since a 102-98 win over the Bobcat in double overtime on Feb. 17, 2018 – the game in which Tyler Nelson '18 broke the program's all-time scoring record. The last time Fairfield accomplished the feat in regulation was earlier in that campaign, a 104-85 win over Niagara on Jan. 20, 2018.
 
In addition to a season best in points, the Stags shot a season-high .552 from the field (32-for-58). Fairfield was 8-for-24 (.333) from three-point range and 20-for-24 (.833) from the charity stripe. Quinnipiac was 27-for-57 (.474) from the floor, 9-for-22 (.409) from deep and 19-for-24 (.792) from the stripe.
 
Cook's 26 points were on 12-of-15 shooting from the floor. Fields' 21 points were highlighted by 5-for-8 shooting from distance to go along with three rebounds, four assists and two steals. Jeanne-Rose neared a double-double with 18 points and a pair of career highs with nine rebounds and five assists. He was 3-for-4 from the field and 12-for-14 from the free throw line.
 
The fourth Stag in double figures with TJ Long with 10 points. Jake Wojcik added seven, Makai Willis scored six and Jalen Leach pitched in four clutch points down the stretch.
 
The Stags won the rebounding battle, 33-28, and committed only nine turnovers while forcing 12 Bobcat miscues.
 
The entirety of the first half was within two possessions, with the Stags never leading by more than five and Bobcats momentarily grabbing a six-point advantage. Fields knocked down four treys in the first half to pace the Fairfield offense, with Cook netting eight and Long scoring seven.
 
The Stags maintained their cushion out to a 54-49 lead with 12:35 to go before Tyrese Williams knocked down back-to-back three-pointers for Quinnipiac to put the visitors in front, 55-54. The lead flipped four more times to a 62-60 Bobcats lead, before Leach grabbed an offensive board off a missed free throw and laid it home to tie the game against at 62-62 with 6:31 left.
 
Luis Kortright answered for the Bobcats with a driving layup and Jeanne-Rose quickly equalized with two free throws. Kortright took charge again and got to the rim for a deuce for Quinnipiac, then Fields connected on his fifth trey of the day to stake the Stags to the 67-66 lead that they would not relinquish as Cook added a bucket and Long connected from deep to extend the advantage to 72-66 with 4:08 left. A Cook dunk and two more Jeanne-Rose foul shots pushed the margin to double figures, and the Stags continued to pour it on late to pull away for a 92-82 triumph.
 
Williams scored a team-high 18 points for the Bobcats and Kortright added 17.
 
"We're looking forward to getting back to work and then getting down to Atlantic City," said Young. "I just told the guys that every year, there's a team like us somewhere in the country that comes from the middle of the pack and ends up cutting down the nets. It might as well be us."
 
More information on the 2023 MAAC Championship, including the Stags' opponent on Tuesday evening, will be announced on FairfieldStags.com as it is finalized.