Stags win intracity battle to remain unbeaten vs. Sacred Heart

By Pete Janny (@pete_janny)

FAIRFIELD, Conn. — Playing a complete 40 minutes has long been the proverbial key in dictating a positive outcome in college basketball. 

Fairfield only needed a harmonious final 15 minutes Saturday to power past a beleaguered Sacred Heart team, defeating the Pioneers by a final score of 67-57.

Most crucially, finding a groove from deep was just what the doctor ordered for a Stags team that made only one of its ten attempts from long range in the first half. It was deja vu after what happened Wednesday at Yale, where Fairfield caught fire and put away the Bulldogs with a 24-10 run over the last five minutes-plus.

Saturday’s late display was not that riveting, but it was enough juice to end a tough night for Sacred Heart that was plagued by more 3-point shooting struggles (5-for-21). Before the Stags made their move, the calculus was not arcane for how they would turn things around if it was meant to be. 

Fairfield saw enough good things down low from Peyton Smith and found a spark from Louis Bleechmore in multiple ways, but this team still is most fluent offensively when it is knocking down shots from the outside. The second half was characterized by seven threes from the Stags, and the result was outpacing the Pioneers after halftime by a 47-34 margin.

“Our ball movement was better in the second half and we got some threes in transition, which was big,” interim head coach Chris Casey said. “We had to take open threes and find a way to score over the top.”

The necessary adjustments were made after the Stags went into the halftime break down 23-20 as a result of some early turmoil. Fairfield coughed up the ball in tight spots, and it led to multiple threes and some scores in transition for Sacred Heart, who was able to stake out a lead on the strength of an 11-0 run. The Stags guards were clearly bothered by the trapping they faced at times in the first half.

“Credit to (Sacred Heart), they did a great job defending us especially in the first half,” Casey said. “They did a good job of being in gaps and flooding the lane.”

Fairfield outhustled and outmuscled the Pioneers on the boards to secure a 39-29 rebounding advantage. Rebounding had been an area of weakness for the Stags, which makes this performance a huge step in the right direction. To help the cause, 6-foot-11 rim protector Birima Seck is back from injury and logged six minutes while tallying one point from the free throw line. Prized Seton Hall transfer Alexis Yetna is expected to return in late December, which will suddenly create a three-headed monster of sorts, especially if Smith keeps playing the way he has. 

During this three-game winning streak, Smith has posted averages of 10 points, seven boards, two blocks and over an assist per game.

A combination of factors has led to the current version of Smith, who seems to be shaping up to be a good player in the MAAC for a long time. Constant encouragement from his teammates, plus improved conditionings, were the catalyst for his clutch plays in the second half while matched up with Sacred Heart’s frontcourt leader Alex Sobel.

“He’s running so much better than he did a month and a half ago,” said Casey, who noted that Smith dropped some pounds from settling into the Stags’ practice routine. “He’s really adjusted to the speed of the game in college basketball.”

Jalen Leach played through five turnovers to still pace Fairfield with 15 points as his brilliant campaign this season continued. Jasper Floyd made big plays when he needed to, and despite sitting for an 11-minute stretch in the second half, Caleb Fields kept his head high and hit three free throws at the end to help put things out of reach for Sacred Heart. Fields didn’t do anything wrong, according to Casey, the Stags were just rolling one particular lineup at the time.

“Caleb was the loudest guy on the bench for all the minutes he didn’t play,” Casey said. “I went to him and said, ‘I think we’re going well but be ready because you’re going to go back in to hit free throws to help us win,’ and that’s exactly what he did.”

It goes back to the larger theme with this Stags team of staying connected no matter what. Casey has preached that sense of togetherness often, regardless if they are playing their crosstown rival or not, or which bodies are healthy in a time where Yetna is still not available and with Michael Rogan going down with a season-ending shoulder injury.

“They’re all big,” Casey said of winning games. “We don’t place emphasis on one game over another. Especially on the road, it’s so hard to win. We just kind of grinded it out in the second half.”