Springfield, MA (Sports Network) - Derek Needham scored 19 points as the
seventh-seed Fairfield Stags upset the second-seed Rider Broncs, 43-42, in the
quarterfinals of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament at
MassMutual Center.
Maurice Barrow added nine points for Fairfield (19-14). The Stags will play
the winner of the quarterfinal contest between sixth-seed Manhattan and third-
seed Loyola-Maryland.
Jonathon Thompson had 12 points and Daniel Stewart added 10 rebounds for Rider
(18-14).
Each team shot below 30 percent from the field while combining for just 12
field goals in the first half. The Stags had the only field goal from beyond
the arc in the period and led 18-14 at the break.
Both teams improved modestly in the second period. Fairfield shot 31.8 percent
while Rider was at 36.4 percent. The Broncs cut their deficit to a single
point four separate times in the final two minutes but the Stags notched
6-of-8 shots from the free-throw line in the last 20 seconds to hold on.
Rider had the 42-30 edge in rebounds but also had a game-high 21 turnovers.
GAME NOTES:
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