FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- Terrence Todd scored a game-high 21 points, while Deng Gai added a double-double with eight blocks as Fairfield University overcame a 14-point deficit with four minutes remaining and defeated George Washington University (6-4 overall) by a 75-67 count.
Todd's three-pointer with 1.6 seconds remaining in regulation sent the crowd of 3,000-plus into a frenzy, the team's second overtime game at home and third in six games this season. His trey ended a 22-4 run that tied the game for the first time since the first half.
The game started innocently enough with GW jumping out to an 8-2 lead before the Stags answered with a 11-4 run to take the lead at 13-12 with 12:13 remaining in the first half. The Colonials remained a point ahead at 18-17, before the team closed with a 10-5 run for a six-point halftime lead, 28-22.
George Washington scored 10 of the first 14 points in the second half, including four points from Mike Hall. Just a few minutes later, the visitors boosted that advantage to 15 points at 48-33 with nine minutes remaiing in the game. The lead reached as many at 16 points, 54-38, before the Stags started to clamp down on the Colonials offense, especially on the in-bound play.
Down 14 points with four minutes remaining, Fairfield carved into that advantage with back-to-back three-point goals from Todd to make the score 57-48 with 2:37 left on the clock. Hall made one of two free throws for GW, before Mike Bell made a pair of charity tosses for a 58-51 score with two minutes left.
Hall redeemed himself with a pair of free throws to improve the advantage to nine points. Bell made one of two from the line, making the GW lead eight points. Bell scored off a layup to make the score 60-54, stole the ensuing in-bound pass and laid the ball in the basket, to cut the lead to four points, 60-56.
Hall added a basket, followed by free throws from T.J. Thompson for an eight-point Colonials lead with 32 seconds left in regulation. After Todd missed a three-point shot, Thompson rebounded the ball for GW. However, a quick steal and lay up by Todd kept the Stags hopes alive. Things seemed even better when Todd stole the in-bounds pass and fed DeWitt Maxwell for a lay up, making the score 60-64 with 20 ticks on the clock.
Maxwell's put back layup decreased the lead to two points, before Thompson collected one of two free throws for the visitors with eight seconds remaining. Todd's heroics continued with his three-point basket with 1.6 remaining, sending the game into overtime.
The Stags defense held George Washington scoreless for nearly four minutes of overtime, as Maxwell scored a basket and Todd added four more points during that time. Tamal Forchion scored GW's only points of the extra period, giving the Red and White a four-point advantage. However, a spectacular alley-oop dunk by Gai from Todd and a pair of free throws by Tyquawn Goode made the final score 75-67.
Maxwell also reached double-digits for Fairfield with 16 points. Thompson paced the George Washington offense with 15 points, while Hall added 13 markers.
