FAIRFIELD. Conn. – Sparked by a late 14-0 run, Fairfield University Men's Basketball turned a six-point halftime deficit into a 77-68 victory over Manhattan on Sunday afternoon at Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The Stags were led by 23 points from Jalen Leach, who had 15 of his game-high total after the intermission.
 
With the win, the Stags improve to 13-9 overall and 7-4 in the MAAC. Fairfield matches its 2022-23 win total with nine games to play in the regular season. Manhattan falls to 5-15 on the season with a 2-9 conference mark. Fairfield sweeps the season series from the Jaspers for the first time since the 2019-20 campaign.

Today's victory is Fairfield's third when trailing at the half (Yale, Sacred Heart). The 36-30 margin at the break is the Stags' largest halftime deficit in an eventual win.
 
"I've been talking to our guys about fighting and grinding out games, and today was a great example of that," said Interim Head Coach Chris Casey. "We kept fighting when shots weren't falling, we kept our heads and kept grinding and grinding, and we found a way to win."
 
Leach's 23-point effort was his fourth in the last five games and his eighth of the 2023-24 campaign. He shot 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-5 from the three-point line. Caleb Fields was just short of 20 points with 19 tallies, also draining three three-pointers. Brycen Goodine added 18 points – nine in each half – including a buzzer-beating alley oop to end the first half and the three-pointer that put the Stags on top for good late in the second period.
 
The trio combined for 60 of Fairfield's 77 points. Supplementing the offense, Jasper Floyd was all over the floor with eight points, a game-high 10 rebounds, four assists and six steals. He had five swipes in the second half as Manhattan committed 12 of their 17 turnovers after the break. Offensively, Fairfield had just three second-half turnovers and only eight for the game. That margin led to the Stags scoring 26 second-chance points to just two for the Jaspers.
 
James Johns Jr. added five points for the Stags, and Birima Seck had four to go along with five rebounds and two blocked shots in his first Fairfield start.
 
Powered by a 16-for-26 (61.5%) performance in the second half, the Stags shot an even 50% for the game (29-for-58). Fairfield also drained seven of its 10 three-pointers after the break, finishing at 10-for-24 (41.7%).
 
Manhattan was led by 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists from Jaden Winston. Daniel Rouzan and Perry Cowan each had 11 for the visitors.
 
Fairfield Men's Basketball returns to action at Mahoney Arena on Thursday, Feb. 8 for a 7 p.m. meeting with Rider. The Broncs are 8-14 overall and 5-6 in the MAAC after a 94-93 loss today at Iona. The Stags defeated Rider, 88-81, on Dec. 3 in Lawrenceville.
 
Tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.