After scoring just eight points across his first three games as a Stag, graduate transfer guard Deuce Turner came alive with 22 points and went four of six from deep to lead Fairfield to a nailbiter 73-71 overtime win over Stonehill College in game one of the inaugural Mahoney Classic on Friday night.
“I knew it was going to come,” Turner, who received the Man of the Game award, said of his scoring in the postgame press conference. “The coaching staff knew it was going to come. They know, they believe in me. The biggest thing I can do is just believe in myself.”
It was a back and forth contest throughout the night, but particularly in the first half, which featured five lead changes and no margin greater than six points. Forward Raymond Espinal-Guzman scored the first 13 points for the Skyhawks as part of a dominant start to the game on the interior. The Stags were outrebounded and scored just two points in the paint in the first half.
Things changed out of the break, however, as the Stags first-year frontcourt duo of Declan Wucherpfennig and Brandon Benjamin ended up combining for 18 rebounds, with sophomore Isaac Munkadi adding eight more plus three blocks off the bench.
“They’re like a unit, that frontcourt,” said head coach Chris Casey. “They root for each other, they try to make each other better, they help each other. And I am fully confident in rotating them during games because I know they’re all going to play well.”
The Stags began to separate themselves in the middle of the second half, and led by as many as 10 points with eight minutes remaining. But the Skyhawks slowly worked their way back into it, tying the game at 65 with under 30 seconds to go after a Turner turnover led to a transition layup.
Fairfield had its chance on the ensuing possession, but a potential winning basket from Wucherpfennig was wiped off the board due to a travel. Stonehill was unable to get a shot up, and the game went to overtime.
There, it was the Skyhawks who grabbed the early advantage, taking a 69-66 lead. But Turner stepped up for the Stags in response, shaking off his late turnover to connect on a huge three that tied the game. He later added a layup that would end up being the final basket of the game.
“I was definitely feeling it for a second,” Turner said of his late turnover, “but once that clock goes off and overtime starts, it’s a brand new game tied up. And my teammates pushed me to just keep my head in the game, and that’s how I was able to make plays.”
Stonehill had its own opportunity for the win on the final possession of the extra period, but the three point attempt of guard Rex Sunderland went off the back iron, and the Stags escaped with a win in front of a home crowd of over 2,000.
Fairfield will be back in action for the final game of the Mahoney Classic presented by NIVEA Men on Sunday against Loyola Maryland. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
