Trojans equal 2010 win total with victory

CHARITON ? Fairfield led by as many as 10 points in the second half and it proved to be just enough for the Trojans to notch their fourth win of the year.

Chariton?s last-second shot didn?t find the net and a 55-53 victory was preserved Tuesday night.

?It?s a senior-led team and we knew they would make a run, but we talked about not giving anything away easy,? said Fairfield head coach Tyler Miklo. ?We didn?t turn it over and made some free throws down the stretch.?

Grant Curran had a big second half on his way to a game-high 21 points to lead Fairfield (4-15). The senior scored 14 in the final two quarters as he hit 3-of-3 from behind the arc as part of a team effort that saw a season-high six 3-pointers fall.

Nik Fitch hit two of those 3s as he and Davis Lowenberg helped Fairfield dig out from and early 12-5 deficit. Fitch finished with eight points while Lowenberg scored 11 of his 13 in the first half to go along with six rebounds.

Chariton (4-11) went 1-of-2 at the line with eight seconds remaining to make the score 55-53 and Lowenberg snared the rebound off the second miss. The junior came up empty at the stripe on the other end, but the Chargers? final shot from just inside the 3-point line was off the mark to keep the score where it was.

?We picked them up full court and made them take a tough shot at the buzzer,? Miklo said. ?It?s a credit to our guys for playing hard and battling through some of the struggles we?ve had.?

Jordan Leazer added seven points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

The Trojans now get set for their final two game of the regular season beginning with Thursday?s trip to play Mid-Prairie. Friday will be a big Southeast Conference game at Fort Madison against a Bloodhound team they upended 61-55 Jan. 7.

Tuesday?s victory equals the win total Fairfield posted a year ago with one more needed to equal the five posted in 2008-09.