Nelson, Methani combine for 50, Fairfield downs Penn 90-72

Nov 11, 2017, 08:32 pm

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Tyler Nelson scored 30 points, Wassef Methani added 20 more and Fairfield broke the game open with late runs to defeat Penn 80-72 in a season opener on Saturday.

Nelson and Methani each made driving scores in the final minute as the Stags pushed their lead to 11 points before Penn's Ryan Betley and Caleb Wood landed late 3-pointers.

Nelson, who scored a high of 38 points last season, kicked off his senior season making 9 of 18 shots with seven rebounds and six assists. Methani shot 8 of 13 with a pair of treys, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Fairfield outscored Penn 36-26 in the paint.

Betley led Penn with 20 points, trying 11 3-pointers and sinking three. He added 10 rebounds. Darnell Foreman added 17 points and Wood scored nine on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range.

The Quakers launched a school-record 39 treys, sinking nine.