EDISON, NJ (Dec. 2, 2022) – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) men’s basketball league action tipped off on Thursday night with a pair of contests. In one game, Manhattan College edged Fairfield University in a matchup between two preseason top-five teams. The other contests saw conference newcomer, Mount St. Mary’s University, earn a convincing road win over MAAC defending champion, Saint Peter’s University.
 
Manhattan (3-3, 1-0 MAAC) – 56 | Fairfield (2-6, 0-1 MAAC) – 53
Draddy Gymnasium | RIVERDALE, NY
Box Score (XML)
Box Score (PDF)
Manhattan Recap
Fairfield Recap
 
Manhattan edged Fairfield, 56-53, in Draddy Gym on Thursday night in both team’s MAAC opener. The Stags led by three at the break, but the Jaspers used a 10-0 run early in the second half to take over the lead. Manhattan’s Ant Nelson led all scorers with 18 points. Caleb Fields was Fairfield’s top scorer, posting a team-high 12 points.
 
Mount St. Mary’s (4-4, 1-0 MAAC) – 73 | Saint Peter’s (4-3, 0-1 MAAC) – 58
Yanitelli Center | JERSEY CITY, NJ
Box Score (XML)
Box Score (PDF)
Mount St. Mary’s Recap
Saint Peter’s Recap
 
Mount St. Mary’s earned its first MAAC win by defeating Saint Peter’s, 73-58, on the road in Jersey City, NJ, the Peacocks’ first home loss of the year after a 4-0 start. The first half was a back and forth defensive battle, that ended with the Peacocks leading by a pair at the break (29-27). The second half was all Mountaineers, as the Mount outscored SPU 46-29, shooting 55.6 percent from the floor and 70 percent from beyond the arc in the final 20 minutes. Jalen Benjamin led Mount St. Mary’s with a game-high 28 points, his most points in a Mountaineer’s jersey and just one point off his career-high, while Malik Jefferson logged his 1000th career point in the win. Saint Peter’s was led by the duo of Isiah Dasher and Jaylen Murray, who scored 13 points each in the game.
 
The 2022-23 campaign culminates with the 2023 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships from March 7-11 at Atlantic City's Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall for the fourth consecutive year. For all information regarding the 2023 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit MAACSports.com/basketball and by following @MAACHoops and #MAACHoops on Twitter. For tickets to the 2023 Hercules Tires MAAC Men’s and Women’s Basketball Championships, please visit ticketmaster.com.
 
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 42nd year of competition during the 2022-23 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Mount St. Mary’s University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.
 
Stay up to date with the MAAC on social media by following @MAACSports on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or visit MAACSports.com for all the latest MAAC news.