Fairfield asserted its dominance from the opening tip, cruising to a 98-62 victory over Manhattan at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena. The Stags' impressive performance was fueled by a balanced attack, with Deuce Turner pacing the team with 18 points. Tony Williams added 16 points, while Brandon Benjamin chipped in with 11 points and a game-high 15 rebounds.
The Stags set the tone early, racing out to a 47-23 halftime lead. Manhattan struggled to find its footing, shooting just 29% from the field in the first half. Jaden Winston, the Jaspers' top scorer, managed just 6 points in the opening stanza, but finished with a team-high 15 points. Quron Elliott and Fraser Roxburgh provided some scoring punch off the bench, contributing 12 and 9 points, respectively.
Fairfield's advantage only grew in the second half, as the Stags continued to move the ball effectively and knock down open shots. The hosts shot a scorching 51% from the field, including 8-20 from beyond the arc. Manhattan, on the other hand, couldn't sustain any momentum, committing 15 turnovers and allowing Fairfield to score 24 points off those miscues.
The 36-point margin of victory marked one of the most lopsided defeats of the season for Manhattan, which fell to 8-14 on the year. Fairfield, meanwhile, improved to 13-9 and bolstered its resume with a convincing win. While this matchup was not expected to be particularly competitive, given the teams' respective net rankings, the Stags' dominant performance was still impressive.
As the season enters its final stretch, games like this take on added importance for teams looking to build their tournament profiles. For Fairfield, this win, although a Quadrant 4 victory, helps to pad its record and provides a confidence boost heading into the remainder of its schedule. Manhattan, on the other hand, faces an uphill climb to resurrect its season, with this loss dropping it to 8-14 and further diminishing its already slim tournament hopes.
This result will likely have minimal impact on the tournament landscape, given the Quadrant 4 designation for both teams. However, for Fairfield, it's a step in the right direction as the Stags look to climb the rankings and position themselves for a potential postseason berth. With its strong performance against Manhattan, Fairfield has taken a small but significant step towards bolstering its resume, and the team want to build on this momentum in its upcoming games.