FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Brycen Goodine put on a show for a national television audience, lighting up ESPNU and visiting Canisius for 37 points as Fairfield University Men's Basketball recorded a Senior Night win at Leo D. Mahoney Arena, 74-62.
Caleb Fields added 17 points in the Stags' 19th win of the season.
At 19-11 on the year, Fairfield matches its highest win total since going 19-14 in the 2015-16. The Stags' 13-6 conference mark is their best since a 15-3 tally en route to the MAAC Regular Season Championship in 2010-11. Canisius slipped to 12-17 overall and 7-12 in the MAAC with the road setback.
"It was great to get one for our seniors and close out our second year at Mahoney Arena win a home win," said Interim Head Coach
Chris Casey. "It wasn't perfect, but I'm happy with our effort and our intensity, and I thought those things carried us through the parts of the game where our execution dipped a bit. And when everything came together and we were moving the ball and executing on both ends of the floor, we looked like the team that we are capable of being. That consistency in all facets of the game and working to play to our potential for a full 40 minutes will be our focus as we prepare for a tough road trip to The Mount."
Goodine's 37 points came on 14-for-19 shooting, including seven three-pointers. Coupled with his 40-point outburst on Jan. 5 at Siena, Goodine joins George Groom as the only two Stags to net 37 or more points twice in a career.
Goodine has seven of Fairfield's 10 three-pointers in addition to two from Fields on his way to 17 points. Fields has converted 91 treys this season, moving into third on Fairfield's single-season list behind Tyler Nelson's 104 and Ferron Flavors' 95 triples, both in the 2017-18 campaign.
Jalen Leach added eight points and played facilitator for the Stags with seven assists and no turnovers.
Louis Bleechmore pitched in four points and five boards, and the quartet of
Jasper Floyd,
Peyton Smith,
Alexis Yetna and
James Johns Jr. netted two apiece.
Floyd also reeled in a team-high six rebounds.
Frank Mitchell powered his way to 12 points and 11 rebounds for Canisius, with Devean Williams and Youri Fritz each adding 11 points and Tre Dinkins recording 10.
Fairfield Men's Basketball wraps up the regular season on Saturday, March 9 at Mount St. Mary's. Opening tip-off in Emmitsburg is slated for 4 p.m. The Mount was idle this evening, and most recently played and defeated Niagara, 91-72, on Sunday to move to 13-17 on the season and 9-10 in the MAAC.
With a win, the Stags would clinch the second seed in the upcoming MAAC Championship. A win and a Quinnipiac loss at Saint Peter's would give Fairfield a share of the MAAC regular season crown.