Men's Basketball Takes Three-Game Winning Streak Into Holiday Break With 77-66 Home Victory Against Fairfield
BOX SCORE
ALBANY, N.Y. – With 21 second-half points from Evan Singletary, a 23-11 run sent University at Albany men's basketball (5-6) to a 77-66 win against Fairfield (4-7) at SEFCU Arena on Monday night.
“I thought it was a good, solid overall effort tonight by our guys,” said head coach Will Brown. “We really wanted to attack the paint and play inside out. We kept attacking the basket…I think we're making progress; we want to win one game at a time and it's nice to get a win against a good team.”
The Stags came out early in the game looking to shut down Sam Rowley. The senior forward couldn't touch the ball without being double-teamed, but had five early points and two rebounds. Rowley commandeered the point guard position against Fairfield's pressure, finding Peter Hooley and Evan Singletary down the floor.
A 7-2 run in favor of the Great Danes quickly disappeared mid-way through the first half, as Fairfield tied the game at the 8:26 mark. Coach Brown called timeout to regroup after the Pirple & Gold went scoreless over a four-minute period. Wheeler Baker provided a spark off the bench to break the drought and regain a 21-18 lead.
The freshman hit back-to-back threes and found the hoop on a baseline finger-roll to score eight points in less than three minutes. Baker opened up a 28-21 lead with five minutes left in the first.
The Great Danes went without a field goal for another four minutes, but baskets from Sam Rowley and Hooley gave UAlbany a 34-29 advantage at the break. The teams combined for just four turnovers in the first half.
Singletary triggered a 23-11 UAlbany run to start the second half with 16 points in seven minutes to open the period. The junior went 6-for-6 from the field and 4-for-4 from three to set up the Great Danes with a 17-point lead, 57-40. Hooley made two free throws to give the Purple & Gold a 19-point lead with 11:33 to go.
The Stags fought back with a 6-0 run to narrow the advantage to 13, but the teams went scoreless for two minutes. Four straight points from Hooley put Will Brown's squad comfortably back in front with six minutes remaining.
Hooley and Singletary wrapped up the game from the charity stripe, combining to go 5-for-6 from the line before taking a seat.
The Great Danes out-scored the Stags 36-20 in the paint. Fairfield never led in UAlbany's third-straight win. The Purple & Gold made a season-high 28 field goals, along with a season-best 15 assists and just five turnovers.
Hooley and Singletary combined for 34 of UAlbany's 43 second-half points. The pair also had five assists each. Sam Rowley led the Great Danes on the boards with eight, including four offensive rebounds.
UAlbany men's basketball visits Niagara (1-7, 1-1 MAAC) on Dec. 30 at 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel.
