Fairfield Stags vs Denver Pioneers
Taliaferro's late basket sends Fairfield past Denver 86-85
SEATTLE -- Landon Taliaferro scored 21 points including the go-ahead layup with 1:41 left and Fairfield beat Denver 86-85 in an Elgin Baylor Classic game on Sunday.
Neftali Alvarez made a layup after Taliaferro's and Felix Lemetti's 3-pointer with 18 seconds left gave Fairfield an 86-80 lead. Elvin Rodriguez made a pair of free throws and Ronnie Harrell Jr. hit a 3 for Denver with five seconds left. The Pioneers called a timeout and fouled Ade Murkey, who missed the front end of a one-and-one, but Denver never got off a shot.
Wassef Methnani's jump shot with 14:44 remaining put the Stags ahead 59-46 before Denver outscored them 28-14 over the next 10 minutes for a 74-73 lead with three free throws by Harrell.
The Stags sped to a 22-8 lead on Aidas Kavaliauskas' layup with 11:31 before halftime. Lemetti's 3-pointer four minutes later made it 33-16. Fairfield shot 17 of 32 (53 percent) in the first half, including 9 of 16 from 3-point range, and led 46-38 at intermission.
Alvarez scored 13 points, Methnani and Lemetti each scored 12 and Jonathan Kasibabu had 10 with five rebounds for Fairfield (2-5).
Harrell led Denver with 21 points, David Nzekwesi scored 17, Elvin Rodriguez, 16 and Murkey, 13.
Game Information
Seattle, WA
Referee:Gregory Nixon
Referee:Jimmy Casas
Referee:Matt Mason
2025-26 Standings
| Summit LeagueSummit League | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota State | 14-2 | - | 27-8 |
| St. Thomas-Minnesota | 12-4 | 2 | 24-10 |
| North Dakota | 10-6 | 4 | 18-17 |
| South Dakota | 8-8 | 6 | 16-16 |
| Omaha | 8-8 | 6 | 16-17 |
| Denver | 8-8 | 6 | 15-17 |
| South Dakota State | 7-9 | 7 | 14-18 |
| Oral Roberts | 4-12 | 10 | 10-23 |
| Kansas City | 1-15 | 13 | 4-27 |
| Metro Atlantic Athletic ConferenceMetro Atlantic Athletic Conference | CONF | GB | OVR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrimack | 17-3 | - | 23-11 |
| Saint Peter's | 14-6 | 3 | 17-12 |
| Siena | 13-7 | 4 | 23-12 |
| Marist | 12-8 | 5 | 19-12 |
| Quinnipiac | 12-8 | 5 | 19-13 |
| Fairfield | 11-9 | 6 | 21-13 |
| Mount St. Mary's | 11-9 | 6 | 15-17 |
| Iona | 10-10 | 7 | 18-14 |
| Sacred Heart | 9-11 | 8 | 14-19 |
| Manhattan | 8-12 | 9 | 12-20 |
| Canisius | 5-15 | 12 | 10-21 |
| Niagara | 5-15 | 12 | 8-22 |
| Rider | 3-17 | 14 | 4-25 |
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