ALBANY, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a showcase of blistering offensive efficiency, the Siena Saints outlasted the Fairfield Stags 85-77 in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Monday afternoon at Times Union Center.

The contest was defined not by a single dramatic run, but by Siena’s sustained and remarkable shooting accuracy, which ultimately proved too much for a scrappy Fairfield squad to overcome. The Saints shot a staggering 67.4% from the field, connecting on 31 of 46 attempts, and complemented that with a 50% clip from three-point range and an 84.2% mark from the free-throw line.

Siena established control with a strong first half, taking a 41-32 lead into the break. The Saints’ offensive rhythm was orchestrated by the backcourt duo of Gavin Doty and Justice Shoats, who consistently broke down the Fairfield defense. Doty, a junior from Fulton, New York, led all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-13 shooting, adding six rebounds and three assists. Shoats, from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, provided 21 points, five assists and four rebounds.

Fairfield, which fell to 11-9 overall, refused to capitulate. The Stags opened the second half with increased defensive pressure, forcing 12 Siena turnovers and converting them into 22 points. A driving force in the comeback attempt was sophomore forward Brandon Benjamin of Newark, New Jersey, who scored 20 points and grabbed six rebounds. Guard Braden Sparks came off the bench to provide a critical spark, scoring 18 of his points in the second half, including three three-pointers.

The most pivotal sequence of the game occurred midway through the second half as Fairfield threatened to erase the deficit. Trailing 56-50 with just over 13 minutes remaining, the Stags embarked on a 9-2 surge, capped by a Brandon Benjamin layup that cut the Siena lead to 58-57. The Saints, however, responded with immediate and decisive force. On the ensuing possession, Brendan Coyle of Niskayuna, New York, drained a three-pointer off an assist from Shoats. After a Fairfield miss, Coyle struck again from beyond the arc, pushing the lead back to 64-57 in a span of 30 seconds.

That quick six-point counterpunch stalled Fairfield’s momentum permanently. Every time the Stags drew within two possessions down the stretch, Siena had an answer, usually through Doty’s poised play or the interior presence of Coyle, who finished with 19 points and five rebounds. Fairfield shot a respectable 50% from the field but was hampered by 8-of-26 shooting from three-point range.

Siena’s offensive execution was reflected in its advanced metrics, posting an offensive rating of 134.9 points per 100 possessions, compared to Fairfield’s 116.4. The Saints also dominated points in the paint, 44-36, and committed only three turnovers in the second half after nine in the first.

Declan Wucherpfennig added 12 points for Fairfield, while Antione Williams contributed 10 points and four assists. For Siena, Francis Folefac had nine points and four assists, and Riley Mulvey chipped in six points and four assists.

The victory improved Siena’s record to 13-7 and solidified its position in the MAAC standings. The Saints will host Marist on Thursday. Fairfield, which has lost two of its last three, looks to rebound when it hosts Niagara on Thursday.

An announced crowd of 6,385 watched the game, which exceeded the pregame point spread where Siena was favored by 6.5 points. The combined score of 162 points went over the projected total of 143.