Quinnipiac routs Fairfield in statement win

Ike Nweke (24) led Quinnipiac with 18 points as Bobcats stayed close to MAAC lead with win over Fairfield. (Photo by Bob Dea/Daly Dose Of Hoops)

By Pete Janny (@pete_janny)

HAMDEN, Conn. — The Quinnipiac Bobcats sold out M&T Bank Arena Friday, as 3,519 fans poured in to watch the Bobcats mow down the Fairfield Stags by a score of 66-51. 

Quinnipiac, who improved to 8-4 in the MAAC after having won eight of its last nine conference games, put its operation on cruise control after going up by as many as 19 points in the second half. 

It took some time for the Bobcat faithful to get involved after Quinnipiac went down 18-12 early. From that point forward, there was plenty to gush over, as the Bobcats closed the first half on a 20-3 run before running away with the game with a 20-7 run. 

“We didn’t open with great composure, but over 40 minutes, really defended with great effort and connection,” said Quinnipiac head coach Baker Dunleavy. “If we can defend and rebound like that, it will give us a chance to win games down the stretch.” 

The amount of firepower Quinnipiac threw at Fairfield at times made the Stags look dizzy. Luis Kortright supplied 10 of his 12 points in the second half as he was able to glide to the hoop with ease. And when Nweke wasn’t going to work in the paint, Dezi Jones and Matt Balanc were throwing a fastbreak party on the Stags. 

“We’re unstoppable when all of us are clicking together,” Kortright said. 

Balanc seems to be turning a corner in his season, and followed up his 18-point performance in Tuesday night’s win over Marist with nine points against Fairfield. He had a personal 7-0 run in the second half, which included an alley-oop feed from Jones on the fast break that extended the Bobcat lead to 14 with just eight minutes to play. Those who tuned in early for this one would have seen Balanc get up for a chasedown block on Fairfield’s Allan Jeanne-Rose. 

Nweke outplayed Supreme Cook like few have done all year against the Fairfield big man. He was the spark that got Quinnipiac going when down early, scoring six of the Bobcats’ first 10 points. Fittingly, Nweke ended with the last six points for his team to put the Stags out of their misery. He finished with a team-high 18 points.

“A lot of people talk about my low post ability and my ability to impose myself offensively, but I wanted to show I could be as physical and rebound with the best,” said Nweke, who had eight rebounds, five of which were offensive. 

Jones is a bonafide second scoring option at its best. Because of the play of the guys around him – Balanc, Nweke and Kortright – Quinnipiac only needed 11 points from him Friday. Jones hit two big threes out of the halftime break to rev up the engines again. He battled hard on the defensive end too with one block and a steal, despite being undersized. 

“Dezi’s progression as a defender has been amazing,” Nweke said. “As a smaller guard, he has a target on his back with hard screens, but he has embraced the challenge regardless of his height. He’s a warrior and a fighter.”

Quinnipiac had moments in the first half when they were forcing it. Despite holding a 26-21 lead at the half, the Bobcats were 1-of-13 from three in the first half and only took one free throw. Still, it didn’t matter much, because the amount of missed shots in the game led to plenty of opportunities for Quinnipiac to capitalize on the boards, which the Bobcats did. Baker Dunleavy’s group continued to extend possessions through the second half, and won the battle on the boards, 41-29. 

“Against Marist, I didn’t have a single offensive rebound, so that was weighing on me a little because that’s something I pride myself on,” Nweke said. “Paul [Otieno] and I put the onus on ourselves that we have to set the tone not by scoring, but by being imposing on the glass.”

When the Quinnipiac offense is hitting on all cylinders, it has solidified the fact that the Bobcats are one of the most dangerous units in the league. If not for a poor second half at Iona in which they blew a 17-point halftime lead, the Bobcats would be six games over .500 in the standings. They should be more than happy with their 8-4 record amid one of the crazier seasons in the MAAC in recent memory and the logjam toward the top of the standings. 

There was also the crowd factor that every player will want to see more of, instead of just for the big rivalry games. 

“Being in a situation like Quinnipiac, hockey is the predominant sport,” said Nweke, who transferred from Columbia. “But being able to play on ESPNU, which I’ve never had the opportunity to do, and with the crowd we had today, being able to close out the win was an amazing feeling.”

A week of home cooking can get even better with a win over Mount St. Mary’s on Sunday, with the Mountaineers coming off a 30-point loss at Iona. Overall, that home cooking has been continuous with Quinnipiac 8-2 at home.