Stags outlast Bobcats

BRIDGEPORT — Tyler Nelson stands alone.

The senior guard captured a place in Fairfield University history on Saturday, scoring 32 points to become the Stags all-time leading scorer in a 102-98 double-overtime victory over Quinnipiac at the Webster Bank Arena.

“It’s special,” said Nelson, who now has 2,032 career points, passing Tony George (2,006). “I had a lot of family and friends here. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

For the Stags, who won for the fifth time in the last seven outings to improve to 12-15 overall and 7-9 in the MAAC, this game was won on guts and desire. Down 12 at the half and trailing by 14 (58-44) with 12:01 to play, Fairfield put together a 21-4 run to tie the game at 65 with 5:18 left and then, fought through six lead changes and four ties to get the game to overtime.

“We talked about being down 12 at halftime and how we could either let this team go up 20 or we could make five (defensive) stops in a row and get back into the game and that’s exactly what we did,” said senior forward Jonathan Kasibabu, who scored a career-high 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds despite fighting flu-like symptoms. “We defended, we rebounded and we got back into the game.”

And the person responsible for many of those late lead changes and ties was Quinnipiac freshman guard Rich Kelly. Kelly, the former Fairfield Prep star, played the game of his life against the Stags, scoring 40 points, making seven 3pointers – including one with 2.1 seconds left in regulation – and making 13 of 22 shots from the field.

“The kid Kelly had a hell of a game, he couldn’t miss tonight,” Nelson said. “I’ve never really seen anything like that this year. Props to him, he played a hell of a game. But we stuck with it and made the plays at the end.”

“I was just feeling good tonight,” Kelly said, who was also involved in the play that saved the game for Fairfield. “I’ve been shooting a lot of extra shots and the coaches and my teammates, they all have confidence in me and that helps my own confidence, knowing that I can play my game and they’ll be OK with whatever happens.”

With Fairfield leading 99-98 and Quinnipiac looking to for the win, Kelly dribbled up court, only to have the Stags’ Jesus Cruz reach in and tip the ball away with 12.1 seconds to play. Cruz then dove on the floor to get control of the ball and somehow, got it to Nelson, who raced for a layup to give the Stags a 101-98 led with 9.6 seconds left.

“I needed to be stronger with the ball, I was a little careless at the end and it cost us,” Kelly said.

“Cruz is a tough kid, he always plays hard,” Nelson said. “For him to make a play like that as a freshman, that says a lot about him, sacrificing his body, diving for that ball. That was the difference in the game.”

Both sides had their share of heroes. Along with Kelly’s 40, Cameron Young had 31 points and nine rebounds for the Bobcats with Chase Daniels adding 10. Ferron Flavors Jr. scored 19 for the Stags, with Cruz adding 10 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Held to just five points at halftime (leaving him two points shy of passing George), Nelson finally broke the mark on a pullup jumper with 15:59 left. Relieved of that burden, Nelson exploded, scoring 25 the rest of the way, making five of his six 3-pointers in the second half and the overtimes.

“The key for us was, how do you defend a great player?” Quinnipiac coach Baker Dunleavy said. “Nelson is a tremendous offensive player. We had a game plan set up for him and I thought we executed it a lot of times but it’s hard to keep him contained, so credit to them. We almost did it but almost doesn’t count.”

Fairfield 102, Quinnipiac 98, 2OT