Jan. 31, 2004
Box Score
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (fairfieldstags.com) - Kudjo Sogadzi scored a career-high 25 points, while DeWitt Maxwell added 18 points and a team-high eight rebounds, leading Fairfield University (12-8 overall, 5-4 MAAC) to a 91-80 win over Siena College (7-13, 4-7). The game was televised nationally on ESPN2 in front of 2,800-plus fans.
Siena's Mike Beers scored the first five points of the game to give the Saints their biggest lead of the game at 5-0. The Stags answered with four quick points off Rob Thomson's hook shot and a pair of Michael Bell free throws. Austin Andrews stopped the run for Siena with a jumper, but the Stags reeled off seven staright points to grab the lead for the first time at 11-7. Sogadzi scored the last five points of that run, including a three-pointer at the 15:17 mark.
The Fairfield lead peaked at seven points, 19-12, following a Maxwell lay up with 10:55 remaining in the half. After a media timeout, the Saints began a 9-2 spurt that would eventual tie the game at 21-21. Andrews scored the final four points of the run, the last being a jumper with 6:57 remaining. The Stags weathered the Saints come back though, as freshman Michael Van Schaick hit a top of the key three-point shot which pushed the Red and White back in front, 24-21.
Three straight hoops by increased the Fairfield advantage to nine points, 30-21, as Thomson, Sogadzi and Maxwell combined for the mini-run. Siena managed to cut the lead by a point at halftime, as Fairfield enjoyed a 39-31 margin at intermission.
Siena started the half quickly, outscoring Fairfield by a 7-2 count to pull within one point, 41-40, with 17 minutes remaining. Jamal Jackson helped the cause with four free throws, but it was Andrews' three-pointer that closed the gap to one point. But, Siena's offense went into a stall from that point, allowing Fairfield to go on a 22-2 run that pretty much put the game out of reach. The Stags' lead would reach as much as 24 points, 68-44, with 7:36 remaining.
The Saints managed to pull as close as nine points with 29 seconds remaining, but Fairfield finished the scoring with a pair of points from the free throw line.
Rob Thomson scored 15 points, and Michael Van Schaick added a career-high 11 points for Fairfield. Beers and Andrews paced the Siena attack with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Fairfield only turned the ball over six times in the game, less than half of Siena's 13 miscues.
