Fairfield Earns Spot in MAAC Men's Basketball Championship Final
MAAC Sports
ALBANY, N.Y. - Freshman Derek Needham scored 17 points, including the go-ahead basket, as second-seeded Fairfield held off sixth-seeded Niagara 69-63 in the semifinals of the 2010 Citizens Bank MAAC Men's Basketball Championship Sunday night.
MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Anthony Johnson had 21 points, eight rebounds and three blocks for the Stags (22-9), who face host and top seed Siena in Monday's final. Siena has won two straight MAAC championships.
Tyrone Lewis had 20 points before fouling out for the Purple Eagles (18-15), who were held without a field goal for a crucial eight-minute stretch late in the second half. Anthony Nelson added 12 points and 10 rebounds for Niagara, which also lost 80-74 to Fairfield a week ago to close the regular season.
Fairfield trailed 58-51 with 7:16 left, but used a 13-1 run, including Needham's one-handed layup at 3:29, to lead for good.