HAMDEN, Conn. – Fueled by 27 bench points and five players in double figures, Fairfield University Men's Basketball knocked off host Quinnipiac, 85-79, on Sunday afternoon in Hamden. Braden Sparks set the pace offensively with a game-best 21 points.
 
Winners of seven of their last nine games, the Stags now stand at 18-11 overall and 10-8 in MAAC play. Quinnipiac is also 18-11 on the season and owns an 11-7 conference mark. Fairfield and QU have split the annual home-and-home series in four consecutive seasons.
 
Sparks' 21 points brought his season total to 511 – the 23rd 500-point season in Fairfield history. He knocked down two three-pointers this afternoon as part of a 7-for-13 day from the field and shot 5-for-6 from the free throw line.
 
Eric Mejia stepped into the starting lineup and netted a new career high with 16 points, also matching his career highs of five rebounds and six assists. Mejia shot 5-for-9 from the field and 6-for-7 at the stripe as the Stags shot a combined 20-for-23 at the free throw line compared to QU's 14-for-27 day.
 
In the post, Declan Wucherpfennig added 13 points and six rebounds, with Brandon Benjamin contributing eight points and five rebounds in 11 minutes of work.
 
Fairfield's 27 bench points were guided by 14 from Deuce Turner and a career-high 11 points by Isaac Munkadi. Ryan Zan added a key bucket on his way to two points and four boards in a reserve role. Cam Estevez also corralled four rebounds off the bench.
 
"Our bench was fantastic today. We got great minutes from the bench to bring home a win against a very talented and well-coached opponent," said Head Coach Chris Casey. "I'm really proud of our guys. We're always going to fight you for it, and sometimes that's the most important thing."
 
Halon Rawlins did not contribute to the scoring by was a defensive presence with a career-best four blocked shots and three rebounds.
 
Sunday's contest featured 25 lead changes, 23 of which came in the first half. Neither team led by more than four points before the intermission, concluding with Mejia scoring the final four points to send the game to the break with Fairfield on top, 39-36.
 
The Stags built the lead to eight, 55-47, with 13:54 to play in the second half before the Bobcats made a push to regain the lead at 62-60. Turner knocked down a pair of free throws to knot the game, and QU responded with a three-pointer from Jaden Zimmerman to reclaim a 65-62 edge. That lead proved to be the last for the Bobcats as a personal and technical foul on the next trip sent Turner to the line for four free throws. The veteran sank all four and the Stags took a lead they would not relinquish, 66-65, with 6:53 left.
 
After an empty trip for Quinnipiac, Zan grabbed a rebound for two points and Sparks added a pull-up jumper. Fairfield continued to counteract QU's scoring on a Wucherpfennig bucket, a Mejia free throws, and another Sparks trey, settling at 76-72 at the 1:36 mark.

The exclamation point came on a press-breaking alley-oop dunk from Turner to Munkadi in the final minute, and the Stags made their last six free throws to close out the 85-79 victory.
 
Zimmerman led Quinnipiac with 20 points, including four of the Bobcats' seven three-pointers. Asim Jones added 16 points and seven assists.
 
Fairfield Men's Basketball concludes the regular season next weekend at Leo D. Mahoney Arena with visits from Siena on Friday, Feb. 27 and The Mount on Sunday, March 1. Tickets are on sale now at FairfieldStags.com/TIX.