FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Another big second half helped the Yale men's basketball team to another impressive road victory.
The Bulldogs shot 62 percent from the field and scored 53 points after the break to post a 77-64 victory over Fairfield before a crowd of 2,552 at the gorgeous new Leo D. Mahoney Arena.
Yale is the first road team to win in the building.
"In the second half, we played Yale Basketball," said
James Jones, The Joel E. Smilow, Class of 1954 Head Coach of the Bulldogs. "Certainly, we've been a second-half team this year."
Yale (9-3) also had big second halves in wins over Eastern Washington and Vermont earlier in the season.
Bez Mbeng scored a career-high 20 points to pace the Bulldogs.
John Poulakidas added 18 points, and
August Mahoney scored 14.
Yale also got strong contributions from its bench, particularly in the second half.
Michael Feinberg scored all six of his points over the final 20 minutes,
Yussif Basa-Ama grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end, and
Yassine Gharram had four points and an assist.
"They did a great job in helping us to extend the lead," Jones said.
Fairfield's biggest lead of the night was 12 midway through the first half, but the Bulldogs chipped away and cut the deficit to five, 29-24, by halftime.
The Stags still led by three, 49-46, midway through the second half, but Yale used an 11-0 run to take control. A turning point came when Fairfield was called for an intentional foul on Mahoney, who hit two free throws and followed those up with a three-pointer from the corner. The five straight points pushed Yale's advantage to 55-49, and Gharram then capped the run with a layup.
The Stags never got closer than nine over the final seven minutes.
Supreme Cook paced Fairfield with 17 points, 13 of which came from the free throw line. The Stags shot 35 foul shots in the game.
Yale played its second straight game without leading scorer
Matt Knowling, who was out with an injury.
The Bulldogs, who were playing their second game in three days and fourth straight on the road, now have a nine-day break for final exams. Next up is a trip to Monmouth for the final non-conference game of the season on Dec. 22. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m.
