POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. (Interstat) — A blistering first-half offensive display and a dominant performance in the paint propelled the Marist Red Foxes to a convincing 82-67 victory over the Fairfield Stags in a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at McCann Recreation Center.

Marist, improving to 12-5 overall, seized control from the opening tip and never trailed, building a 43-29 halftime lead behind efficient shooting and stifling interior defense. The Red Foxes shot a scorching 52.8% from the field for the game, including 9 of 18 from three-point range, while holding Fairfield to just 38.6% shooting and a frigid 4 of 20 from beyond the arc.

The most decisive stretch of the contest came early, as Marist established its authority in the paint. The Red Foxes opened the game on a 9-0 run, highlighted by an early three-pointer from Elijah Lewis and two quick baskets from local product Jason Schofield. Fairfield struggled to find any offensive rhythm against Marist’s length, missing its first five shots and committing two turnovers before finally getting on the board nearly four minutes into the game.

Marist’s frontcourt duo of Schofield and Parby Kabamba proved particularly problematic for the Stags. Schofield, a 6-foot-8 sophomore from Poughkeepsie, was a force on both ends in the first half, scoring 10 points, grabbing four rebounds and blocking two shots in just 11 minutes of action. His presence altered numerous Fairfield attempts at the rim and helped Marist establish a 36-28 advantage in points in the paint for the game.

Kabamba, a 6-foot-6 junior from Kinshasa, Congo, provided a crucial spark off the bench. He scored 15 points, all in the first half, including a deep three-pointer just before the halftime buzzer that extended Marist’s lead to 14 and sent the home crowd of 941 into a frenzy. His burst helped the Red Foxes withstand Fairfield’s attempts to claw back into the game, as the Stags never got the deficit back to single digits after the opening minutes of the second half.

Fairfield, which fell to 11-8, was led by guard Braden Sparks, who logged 34 minutes and scored 16 points. Antione Williams added 12 points for the Stags, who won the turnover battle 11-10 and generated 16 points off those miscues. However, Fairfield’s inability to connect from long distance and its defensive struggles against Marist’s efficient offense proved too much to overcome. The Red Foxes posted an offensive rating of 126.2, scoring 82 points on just 65 possessions, while Fairfield managed a rating of 97.3.

Elijah Lewis led all scorers for Marist with 17 points, while Justin Menard contributed 12. The Red Foxes also excelled at the free-throw line, making 17 of 21 attempts, compared to Fairfield’s 19 of 27.

The victory solidified a strong start to MAAC play for Marist, which entered the game as a heavy favorite according to analytics and covered the pregame spread. The Red Foxes’ blend of inside power and perimeter shooting overwhelmed a Fairfield team that was coming off a 98-point outburst against Manhattan but could not replicate that offensive firepower on the road.

Fairfield will look to rebound quickly, traveling to face Siena on Monday. Marist, meanwhile, continues its homestand with a non-conference matchup against Merrimack, also on Monday. The two MAAC foes are scheduled to meet again in just over two weeks on Feb. 7 in Fairfield.