BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — Rakim Sanders scored 23 points, Derek Needham added 19 and Fairfield used a huge first-half lead to hold on for a 64-56 win over Siena Sunday.
Fairfield (13-10, 8-4 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) scored 17 of the game’s first 21 points, and led 31-12 after a three-point play by Keith Matthews with 8:20 before intermission. Sanders had 13 points for the Stags during the early surge, and made the first four 3-pointers he attempted.
The Saints trimmed the lead to 37-24 at halftime, and used a 12-2 run to close within 44-38 with 14:26 left, but Needham hit a huge 3 on Fairfield’s next possession. That sparked a 5-0 run, and Siena didn’t get it under double digits again until Evan Hymes’ long 3-pointer in the final seconds.
Kyle Downey scored 17 points to lead Siena (10-13, 5-8). OD Anosike, the nation’s leading rebounder, set a career-high with 22 boards.
