ALBANY, N.Y. -- Tyler Nelson scored 28 points with four 3-pointers and five assists and sixth-seeded Fairfield never trailed in beating 11th-seeded Marist 71-57 on Thursday night in the opening round of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

Jonathan Kasibabu scored 11 points, Ferron Flavors Jr. added 10 with three 3s and Jesus Cruz grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds for the Stags (15-15). Fairfield shot just 36.9 percent from the field but outrebounded the Red Foxes 45-31, scoring 19 second-chance points off of 15 offensive boards.

Fairfield faces third-seeded Niagara on Saturday in the quarterfinals.

Kasibabu scored the first six points in Fairfield's opening 14-4 run and the Stags led by as many as 22 before taking a 41-24 lead into the break. Nelson scored 21 first-half points.

Marist closed to 60-46 on Brian Parker's free throw with 7:07 to play, but got no closer.

Parker scored 20 points, David Knudsen added 13 and Isaiah Lamb grabbed a career-high eight rebounds for Marist (6-25).