Fairfield beats Boston College 89-83 in Birth of Basketball (Dec 21, 2016)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) Curtis Cobb and Tyler Nelson each scored 20 points to lead Fairfield over Boston College 89-83 Wednesday in the Birth of Basketball at Mohegan Sun Arena.
Jerry Johnson Jr. added 17 points for Fairfield (6-4), which ended a two-game losing streak to the Eagles (6-6) and earned its first win over an Atlantic Coast Conference school. The Stags, who had lost three straight coming in, had beaten BC during the 1998-99 season when the Eagles were in the Big East.
''It's the first high-major win we've had in my tenure here,'' said Fairfield coach Sydney Johnson, who is in his sixth season with the program. ''I think it's a phenomenal thing for our institution.''
Amadou Sidibe finished with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Jonathan Kasibabu added 10 as the Stags had five of their seven players score in double figures.
Ky Bowman had a game-high 33 points and Jerome Robinson added 21 for the Eagles, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.
''I was just disappointed in our effort,'' BC coach Jim Christian said. ''We let them get going early. Our defensive effort, individually, collectively, was just awful all night.''
The Stags came in having attempted 42 3-pointers in their previous game against North Carolina State, but the converted only 26.2 percent (11 of 42). Against BC, the perimeter was their best weapon as they shot 8 of 14 on 3-pointers in the first half to lead 47-37.
Cobb went 4 for 5 on 3-pointers for 14 points and Johnson was 4 for 7 to add 12 to help Fairfield hold the lead for almost 15 minutes in the half.
''Curtis started making shots in the beginning, Jerry started making shots, and right from there we were playing basketball,'' Nelson said. ''We weren't thinking BC is a Power 5. We were just going out there trying to get the win.''
Fairfield came into the game shooting just 33.5 percent on 3-pointers, but had made at least eight in five games.
The Eagles were 4 of 11 on 3-pointers, but the lack of offense wasn't an issue for them even though they were 15 of 28 at the foul line.
BC's trouble was it could not stop the Stags, who shot 50.8 percent from the field and never trailed in the second half.
''We just never got the stops we needed to make,'' Christian said.
BIG PICTURE
Fairfield: After winning three straight to open the season, the Stags dropped four of their past six, including three straight.
Boston College: The Eagles have struggled against midmajors with losses to Nicholls State, Richmond, and Hartford. They also lost to the Ivy League's Harvard.
HIGHLIGHT REEL
The Stags were clinging to an 84-83 lead with 32 seconds left when Sidibe closed things out with a 3-point play. After scoring on a layup, the Fairfield senior converted at the foul line to make it a two-possession game.
QUICK COMPARISON
The Fairfield bench outscored Boston College's 27-13 using just two players. Johnson and Kasibabu each finished in double figures, while the Eagles had four players combine for their bench points.
UP NEXT
Fairfield: Closes out its nonleague schedule at Penn on Dec. 30 before returning to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play where the Stags are 1-1.
Boston College: Host to Providence on Friday before opening Atlantic Coast Conference play at Syracuse on Jan. 1.
