Box Score

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – Anthony Johnson scored his 10th double-double of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Derek Needham scored a game-high 20 points as the Fairfield University men’s basketball team posted a 59-46 win over Saint Peter’s College at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

The Stags led this game from start to finish, taking the lead for good when Sean Crawford hit a three-point field goal on the team’s second possession. Crawford would be responsible for the Stags strong start, which would eventually reach 13-3 in the first six minutes of the game. Crawford finished off the run with five straight points, converting three free throws and adding a lay up.

Fairfield’s lead would reach as many as 15 points in the first half, the first coming at 20-5 with 11 minutes on the clock and the second occurring at 32-17 at the 5:42 mark. Saint Peter’s responded with nine straight points to whittle the second double-digit advantage down to six points at 32-26 with three minutes left in the half. Crawford’s jumper pushed the lead to eight points, before the Peacocks converted a free throw to bring the half time margin to seven points, 34-27.

The home team scored on its first possession of the second half and never led by less than eight points the rest of the game. The Stags lead hit 19 points with six-plus minutes remaining in the game at 57-38 after Ryan Olander took a Needham pass and hit a three-point shot. The Peacocks came as close as 13 points after Ryan Bacon’s lay up to make the score 57-44 at 4:42, but Fairfield answered with a Shimeek Johnson lay up to regain the advantage.

Crawford finished the game with 12 points for Fairfield, and Mike Evanovich came off the bench to tally eight points for the Stags. Bacon led all Saint Peter’s scorers with 14 points, while Nick Leon hit double figures with 10 points.

Fairfield returns to the hardwood on Monday night when it travels to Albany for a match up with conference frontrunner Siena College. The game will be televised on the MSG Network.