FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Jalen Leach poured in a career-high 29 points to lead Fairfield University Men's Basketball to a 76-67 win over visiting Saint Peter's in front of 3,382 fans at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena. Brycen Goodine added 16 points as the Stags handed the Peacocks their first MAAC loss, 76-67.
 
With its 10th win in 11 games, Fairfield improves to 11-7 overall and 5-2 in the MAAC. Saint Peter's sees its six-game winning streak come to an end, slipping to 9-6 with a 5-1 conference mark.
 
"If you're a college basketball fan, that's a game you wanted to watch," said Interim Head Coach Chris Casey. "I thought both teams competed extremely hard. Both teams went after each other. Both teams made plays. And we were fortunate to make a few more plays than them."
 
Leach's 29 points came on 9-for-13 shooting from the floor and 11-for-12 at the free throw line. He also hauled in a team-leading eight rebounds and shared the team high of four assists with Caleb Fields.
 
Goodine canned four three-pointers on six attempts en route to his 16 points. He entered the day ranked third in the nation in three-point percentage, which sits at .489 after this evening's effort. Peyton Smith was the third Stag in double figures with 10 points.
 
Rounding out the Fairfield scoring, James Johns Jr. had six points, Fields added five, Louis Bleechmore scored four and the duo of Jasper Floyd and Birima Seck chipped in three apiece. Floyd also hauled in seven rebounds and dished out three assists. Fields filled out his statline with six boards and four helpers.
 
The Stags edged Saint Peter's on the glass, 33-32, while the Peacocks gained the advantage in turnovers, 12-10.
 
As a unit, Fairfield shot an even 50 percent from the field at 27-for-54, including a 4-for-16 (25 percent) day at beyond the arc. Leach's 11-for-12 day at the stripe pushed the Stags to an 18-for-23 (78.3 percent) performance on free throws.
 
Fairfield's 76 points represent the most allowed by Saint Peter's in a game this season, and their 50 percent shooting from the floor is the best by a MAAC team against the Peacocks in 2023-24.
 
Saint Peter's was led by 16 points and eight rebounds for Corey Washington. The Peacocks shot 26-for-59 (44.1 percent) from the field, 3-for-19 (15.8 percent) from distance and 12-for-17 (70.6 percent) on charity tosses.
 
The crowd of 3,382 in attendance marked the largest for a Fairfield home game this season and the third largest in the two-year history of Leo D. Mahoney Arena.
 
"I had a blast tonight, and I think our guys did too," said Casey. "It's an outstanding atmosphere here. The students are great, the community is great. And we need even more to come out and fill every seat. Make it such a home court advantage that nobody wants to play here."
 
Fairfield returns to action on Sunday, Jan. 21 at 2 PM at Manhattan. The Jaspers, who did not play this evening, are 4-11 overall and 1-5 in the MAAC.
 
The Stags are back at Mahoney Arena on the following Sunday, Jan. 28, to host in-state MAAC foe Quinnipiac at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.