Fairfield defeats Monmouth 73-65

Fairfield Edges Monmouth in Thrilling Comeback Victory

The Fairfield Stags (7-5) pulled off a dramatic comeback victory over the visiting Monmouth Hawks (6-6), 73-65, on Monday night at Leo D. Mahoney Arena.

Trailing by three points at halftime, the Stags stormed back to take control of the game in the second half. Fairfield's offense came alive behind senior guard Braden Sparks, who scored 17 points, including four three-pointers, to lead his team to the win.

Sparks' hot shooting was matched by junior forward Brandon Benjamin, who chipped in with 16 points and 12 rebounds to help Fairfield outrebound Monmouth, 40-31. Senior guard Eric Mejia added four assists and seven points off the bench.

Monmouth's Cornelius Robinson III led all scorers with 14 points on an impressive 70.0% shooting performance from the field. However, his team struggled with three-point shots, making just five of 17 attempts (29.0%).

The Hawks' Jack Collins paced Monmouth with 10 assists and eight points, but their offense was unable to overcome the Stags' defensive effort.

Fairfield's balanced attack, which featured 24 two-pointers and eight three-pointers, gave them a significant edge over Monmouth. The Stags outscored the Hawks in the paint (40-42) and on fast breaks (13-6).

The win marks Fairfield's third straight victory and keeps their hopes alive for an NCAA Tournament bid.

Key Takeaways:

* Fairfield erased a 3-point halftime deficit to take control of the game.

* Braden Sparks led the Stags with 17 points, including four three-pointers.

* Brandon Benjamin added 16 points and 12 rebounds for the winning team.

* Monmouth struggled with three-point shooting, making just five of 17 attempts.

Advanced Statistics:

* Fairfield's eFG% was 53.7%, while Monmouth's was 50.0%.

* The Stags' True Shooting Percentage was 52.7%, compared to Monmouth's 51.4%.

The win propels Fairfield forward in the non-conference schedule, setting up an intriguing matchup against a ranked opponent next week.