Dec. 10, 2002
POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- DeWitt Maxwell came off the bench to score a game-high and personal-best 25 points, helping Fairfield University (3-3 overall, 2-0 MAAC) turn a 13-point deficit into an 86-77 win over Marist College (3-3 overall, 1-1 MAAC).
Fairfield jumped out to a 5-2 early in the game, courtesy of Tyquawn Goode's three-pointer. The Red Foxes put together a 7-0 run to answer Fairfield's start, giving the home team a 9-5 advantage with 15 minutes remaining in the first half. Marist never trailed for the rest of the half, as the team's advantage hit as many as 10 points (38-28) before it settled for an eight-point halftime lead, 42-34. Maxwell kept the Stags in the game throughout the first half, making all seven of his field goal attempts.
The Red Foxes started the second half quickly, raising their advantage to 13 points, 52-39, with 16:11 left in the game. Fairfield began its come back with a 12-2 run, making the score 54-51 following a five-point flurry from Kudjo Sogadzi. The sophomore hit a three pointer, and followed with a lay up with 12:47 remining in the game.
Marist pushed the lead to a more comfortable seven point advantage with 11:22 remaining, but Sogadzi tallied a pair of free throws and Maxwell dunked on the next possesion to make the score 58-55 with 10:37 left on the clock. The Stags eventually tied the game at 68-68 with 6:28 left on a three-point play by Terrence Todd.
Maxwell made a tremendous play to put Fairfield in front for good on the next possession. He rebounded a miss by Rob Thomson, missed the put-back, got the rebound, missed the layup, picked up another carom and laid the ball in the basket for a 70-68 advantage. Fairfield's lead quickly became six points as Michael Bell, Todd and Nick Delfico wrapped baskets around two Marist free throws, givng the Stags control from that point.
Five Fairfield players reached double-digits in the game, namely Maxwell, Sogadzi (13 points), Delfico (13), Goode (11) and Todd (10). Nick Eppehimer led all Marist scorers with 24 points, including three three-pointers.
The Stags begin the MAAC season with a 2-0 mark, the first time since the 1985-86 campaign when that team finished the year with a 13-1 conference mark.
