Roy Clarke Scores 21 Points In Men's Basketball's Loss To Fairfield

JERSEY CITY, NJ. - The Saint Peter's Men's Basketball team fell 64-62 to Fairfield (15-9, 9-4 MAAC) at Run Baby Run Arena on Saturday. 

The Peacocks (11-11) dropped to 7-6 in MAAC play. Following the loss, SPU remained at sixth in the MAAC standings. 

Roy Clarke scored a game-high 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and two steals. Clarke shot 8-14 from the field. It's the second time Clarke has scored 20+ points in the last four games. 

Marcus Randolph started for the Peacocks and scored a career-high 19 points with two assists, two steals, and four rebounds. The University of Richmond transfer shot an efficient 7-13 (53.8%) from the field and 4-9 from three-point range.

The Stags were led by Jalen Leach (17 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and one assist), and Caleb Fields (17 points, three rebounds, three steals, and one assist). Leach shot 66.7% from the field (6-9 FG) and 50% from three-point range (2-4 3PT). 

How it Happened 

• The Stags shot 52.17% from the field in the opening half. 

• Down 13-7, the Peacocks went on a 13-0 run. The run featured 11 points from Clarke. The SPU junior dunked a Peacocks fast break and Saint Peter's led 20-13. 

•  Up 32-24 in the final five minutes of the first half, the Stags scored eight consecutive points. A three-pointer from Caleb Fields tied the game up at 32-32.  

• Elijah Wood slammed a putback dunk at the buzzer which gave the Peacocks a 36-33 advantage at halftime. 

• Randolph came out of halftime red-hot. Randolph scored Saint Peter's first eight points in the second. Randolph knocked down a jumps hot and drained back-to-back three-pointers. Randolph's fourth three-pointer of the game extended the SPU's lead to 44-40. 

• The second half featured one lead change. The Stags gained the lead at the 12:26 mark when Birima Seck hit a jump shot which gave the Stags a 49-48 lead. Jasper Floyd gave the Stags a 52-48 lead with 7:48 left in the game. 

• The Stags went up 58-50 at the four-minute mark. 

• The Peacock made a late push at the end of the game but came up short. 

• Clarke scored eight straight points for the Peacocks in the final 3:34 seconds of the game. The SPU junior scored a layup and cut the Peacock's deficit to 61-58 with 1:54 left. Both teams exchanged free throws and SPU trailed 63-59 with 26 seconds left. Randolph drove to the net and added a layup and-one. After his free throw, the Peacocks trailed 63-62. With one final possession down two, SPU missed a shot off the rim which sealed the win for the Stags.

By The Numbers 

• Fairfield shot 50% from the field in the game (22-44). 

• Saint Peter's shot 23-55 (41.8%) from the field in the game.

• Randolph hit a season-high four three-pointers.

• Saint Peter's had more fast break points (12-11), bench points (14-5) and second-chance points (13-8) than Fairfield. 

• The Stags scored 18 points off turnovers.

• Saint Peter's dropped to 64-65 all-time against Fairfield. 

Next, the Peacocks host Siena (3-20, 2-10 MAAC) on Friday, Feb. 16 at Run Baby Run Arena. The game tips off at 7 PM and will be on ESPN+. 

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