Benning's late shot gives Fairfield 61-60 win over Niagara

Feb 22, 2020, 03:05 am

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Taj Benning scored with 11.1 seconds to give Fairfield a 61-60 win over Niagara on Friday night.

Benning, who finished with 14 points, shot only 4 of 11 from the floor, but his one-handed runner as he crossed the paint put the Stags ahead before Niagara's Marcus Hammond missed from the right elbow as time ran out.

Landon Taliaferro added 12 points and Allan Jeanne-Rose 11 for Fairfield with Vincent Eze grabbing 11 rebounds to go with seven points.

James Towns was the only Purple Eagles player in double figures with 16 points.

Niagara led 60-56 with a minute to go but Taliaferro made a 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining before Benning's go-ahead basket.

The Purple Eagles led by 17 with under a minute left in the first half but the Stags scored the first 10 points of the second half and took their first lead since the game's opening minute on a Taliaferro layup with under seven minutes left.

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