March 8, 2003
TRENTON, N.J. -- Deng Gai registered a double-double with 20 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, while Tyquawn Goode added a personal-best 13 points in Fairfield University's (18-10 overall) 68-60 win over Saint Peter's College (10-19). The win propels the Stags into the semi-final round of the MAAC tournament against the winner of the Siena College-Marist College game, played after the Fairfield game.
The Peacocks scored the first five points of the game, as George Jefferson hit a three pointer on the team's first possession and Amir Ali added a put-back basket. Deng Gai cut into that lead with a pair of free throws and a dunk, making the score 5-4. After Devon Thompson's basket made the score 9-6, Fairfield used 7-2 run to take the lead for good at 13-11. Michael Bell's three-point basket put the Stags in front at the 12:56 mark.
The Stags scored the next 10 points to take their first double-digit lead, giving the second-seeded team a 23-11 advantage. Dewitt Maxwell scored five of those ten points, while Deng Gai added a three-pointer and Ajou Deng hit a jumper to finish the run. The two teams played evenly over the final nine minutes, resulting in Fairfield holding a 32-21 half time lead.
Regis Devonish started the second half with a three-point basket, resulting in a 32-24 Fairfield lead. However, Fairfield's pressure defense allowed the team to score nine of the next 11 points for a 41-26 lead with 12:42 remaining. Four different Fairfield players scored during the that seven-minute run. Saint Peter's methodically crept back into the game with accurate long range shooting, which included three-point baskets by Keydren Clark and Ivan Bozovic. Following a layup by Corien John, Saint Peter's trailed by only five points at 48-43.
Fairfield used long-range shooting to double that advantage, as Deng Gai and Nick Delfico hit three-point shots on back-to-back possession, making the score 55-43 with 5:38 remaining. The Peacocks never came closer than seven points from that point, 61-54 with 2:14 remaining.
Devin Thompson finished the game with a double-double for Saint Peter's, garnering 10 points and 11 rebounds. Clark finished the game with 24 points, 20 of which came in the second half.
