Dec. 28, 2006
BRONX, N.Y. - Michael Van Schaick scored a team-high 14 points, 12 of which came in the second half, as the Fairfield University men's basketball team dropped 56-47 decision to Fordham University on the road. The Stags tied the game with four minutes remaining in the game off a Van Schaick three-point basket, but the Rams tallied 10 unanswered points over the next three minutes to gain control of the game.
Once again, Fairfield's defense was outstanding, taking Fordham's inside attack completely off the board. The Rams' starting front court finished the game with three baskets in 15 attempts. However, Fordham's perimeter game took advantage of the double teams down low by making eight three pointers in the game. Starting guard Marcus Stout nailed four long-range jumpers in six attempts and finished the game with a high score of 19 points.
After falling behind by four points at 6-2, the Stags used a 10-0 run midway through the first half to make the score 12-6 with 11 minutes remaining in the half. Fairfield held its lead for the next 10 minutes, not relinquishing it until Brenton Butler hit a three-point basket at the 1:23 mark to push the home team in front by a 19-18 count. Devin Johnson regained the lead for the Stags with a lay up before Stout netted a pair of charity tosses to give the Rams a 21-20 lead at intermission.
Fairfield opened the second half with a 5-0 spurt that yielded a four-point lead at 25-21. Fordham's Kevin Anderson tied the score with consecutive baskets off back-to-back steals. Van Schaick's three-point basket broke the deadlock at 28-25, before a 6-0 Ram run erased that deficit and put the home team three points to the positive.
The Stags battled back once again to secure another three-point lead after Anthony Johnson's alley-oop basket, making the score 34-31 with 12:39 on the clock. The lead held for nearly two minutes before Fordham recaptured its advantage off a Butler three-point hoop to make the score 36-35.
The Rams continued to lead the game by three points at 44-41, but Van Schaick's three-point basket tied the game at 44-44 with four-plus minutes remaining. Those points would be the Stags' last until Van Schaick hit his fourth three-point basket of the half with 11 seconds remaining.
Anthony Johnson scored eight points by making four of five field goal attempts. Marty O'Sullivan led all rebounders with 11 caroms, including nine off the defensive glass. Butler was Fordham's only other double-digit scorer with 11 points, nine of which came from behind the arc.
Fairfield returns to action on Tuesday, January 2 when it returns to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action against Rider University on the road.
