FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Prophet Johnson posted his seventh double-double of the season to lead Fairfield University Men's Basketball in a Sunday clash at crosstown Sacred Heart. But the junior's 24 points and 13 rebounds were not enough to overcome the hot-shooting Pioneers, who took the contest by a final score of 83-62.
With the loss, the Stags slip to 11-18 on the season and 7-11 in the MAAC. Sacred Heart improves to 14-15 with a 10-8 tally in the Pioneers' first season in the MAAC.
In addition to his seventh double-double, the contest was also Johnson's fifth 20-point game and the first instance of back-to-back 20-point outings for a Stag this season. Johnson also headed the defensive effort with four steals.
Peyton Smith made all six of his field goal attempts to finish with 12 points on the day, and
Braden Sparks added a dozen of his own. Rounding out the scoring,
Isaac Munkadi and
Makuei Riek netted six points apiece and
Jamie Bergens had two.
Sacred Heart used the offensive glass to build an early lead. The Pioneers grabbed the offensive board on eight missed field goals in a row, building a 15-4 advantage to start the game. Johnson got the Stags going both offensively and clearing the glass, as the junior put up 11 points and seven rebounds over the opening 20 minutes. But Sacred Heart used a 6-for-14 frame from three-point range, capped by a Taj Bryant buzzer beater, to take a 42-23 lead into halftime.
The team's traded buckets to open the second half, but the Stags never put together the extended run they needed as Sacred Heart's advantage steadily crept larger. The margin grew as large as 29 points with Fairfield making a final push to cut the final tally to 83-62.
Sacred Heart was led by 18 points and nine rebounds from Bryce Johnson. The Pioneers canned a total of 11 three-pointers, led by five from Griffin Barrouk on his way to 17 points.
Up next, the Stags head to Albany on Thursday, March 6 for the first and only regular season meeting with Siena. The Saints are 13-16 overall and 8-10 in the MAAC after an 85-79 loss this afternoon at The Mount.
