Fairfield, Conn. (February 12, 2023)—Mount St. Mary's was upended at Fairfield, 76-72, in overtime, at Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Sunday afternoon.  Fairfield rallied from a 12-point second half deficit to force overtime and eventually escape with the win.  Jalen Benjamin led the Mount with 22 points while Dakota Leffew added 21 in the loss.

Leading 32-31 at the half, the Mount (8-18, 4-11 MAAC) stormed out of the gate to open the second frame, using a 12-to-3 run to build a 44-34 advantage.  Leffew opened the run with a pair of buckets ahead of a pair of Jedy Cordilia free throws.  After Fairfield's TJ Long connected on a triple, Benjamin scored consecutive baskets and Cordilia capped the run with a dunk for a 44-34 advantage.  A George Tinsley lay-up with 14:05 remaining gave the Mount its biggest lead of the game at 48-36.

Fairfield (11-14, 7-8 MAAC) whittled the Mount's lead to five on a pair of Long free throws, but Leffew converted a four-point play with 3:52 left to push the Mount back to a nine-point advantage, 62-53.
Benjamin hit a pair of free throws with 2:37 remaining to give the Mountaineers a 64-57 lead.  The Stags rallied from there, scoring the final seven points of regulation to force overtime.  Supreme Cook started the run with a traditional three-point play, and Long scored after a Mount turnover to make it 64-62.  After a Mount miss, Long was fouled and he hit both free throws to tie the score with 48 seconds left.

Cook blocked a Leffew attempt on the Mount's next possession, but Fairfield was unable to convert on a pair of three-point attempts and a long shot at the buzzer, sending the game to the extra session.

In overtime, Cook scored the first two points to give Fairfield its first lead since the end of the first half.  The Mount countered with a pair of Jaylin Gibson free throws to tie the score.  Benjamin converted a drive to put the Mount on top, 68-66, with 3:29 left in overtime.  He was fouled on the play, but missed the free throw attempt.

After Fairfield's Jalen Leach hit a jumper, Benjamin put the Mount back on top again, 70-68, with a drive to the basket with just under two minutes left.  Cook evened the score, and after a Mount miss, Leach hit a pair of charity tosses for a 72-70 lead with 1:00 on the clock.  Benjamin missed in the paint with 29 seconds left, and the Mount was forced to foul.  Caleb Fields knocked down both free throws for a four-point lead with 22 seconds left.  The Mount was unable to convert on the next possession, and Fairfield was able to escape with the win.

Benjamin finished 9-of-22 from the field for his 22-point game while adding five assists and four boards.  Leffew added 21 points, hitting 4-of-12 from beyond the arc in the game.  It is the second time in three games the Mount has had a pair of 20-point scorers in the same game.  Benjamin (23) and Cordilia (22) achieved the feat last Sunday in the Mount's win at Quinnipiac.  Cordilia finished with 14 points and six rebounds with Gibson chipping in nine points off the bench.

Long led Fairfield with 21 points with Cook adding a double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds.  Fields finished with 14 points for the Stags in the win.

The first half was a tight affair with the biggest lead by either team being five points.  There were eight lead changes and six ties in the opening 20 minutes.

The Mount returns home for a three-game homestand beginning with a 7:00 p.m. matchup with Niagara on Friday, February 17.