Feb. 10, 2002
Bridgeport, Conn. -- Deng Gai scored a game-high 24 points, while Nick Delfico and Sam Spann each added 13 points in Fairfield University's (7-15 overall, 6-8 MAAC) 79-72 win over Siena College (11-15, 8-6). Gai also added seven rebounds and a team-high six blocks in the victory.
Siena jumped out to a quick lead on Tommy Mitchell's three-point basket at 18:46. The Stags tied the game when freshman Kudjo Sogadzi hit a three-pointer on the next possession. Fairfield grabbed its first lead of the game on Gai's first three-pointer, but Siena regained the lead when Dwayne Archbold's three-point shot went in the basket.
After falling behind 17-13, Siena used a 5-0 spurt to an 18-17 lead, as Prosper Karangwa made two free throws to finish off the run. A pair of free throws by Fairfield's Kyle Walsh put the Stags ahead at 19-18, and the team never trailed from that point. Walsh's points were the first two of a 9-0 run by Fairfield, giving the home team its biggest advantage at 26-18 with 6:26 remaining.
Siena managed to pull a little closer when Justin Miller's layup with nine seconds left in the half made the score 39-33 at intermission. Fairfield scored the first four points of the second half, a layup by Spann and a dunk by Gai, for its first double-digit lead of the game at 43-33. The lead hovered around 10 points for most of the second half, including a 63-53 Fairfield lead with 5:09 remaining.
The Saints made one more run at Fairfield, and pulled closest with 2:40 remaining, as a pair of free throws by Mitchell cut the deficit to three points, 65-62. The Stags put the game away with six straight points, as Spann and Gai each hit a pair of free throws and Nick Delfico stole the ball and took it to basket for a 71-62 lead with 1:38 left on the clock. Siena never came closer than six points the rest of the way. Fairfield made 14 of 16 free throws in the final minutes to keep Siena from mounting any serious challenge.
Archbold scored a team-high 18 points for Siena, also chipping in a team-best eight rebounds. Karangwa and Justin Miller also reached double-digits with 15 and 13 points, respectively.
