The Washington Demons broke open a close contest with a decisive run spanning halftime, defeating Fairfield 57–39 on Friday, December 12th. The loss dropped the Trojans to 1–3 overall and 1–1 in conference play.
Game Recap
The contest remained competitive early, tied at 9–9 midway through the opening quarter. Washington reserve Tate Greiner then sparked the Demons by knocking down back-to-back three-pointers off the bench, helping Washington take a 15–9 lead after one period. Fairfield stayed within striking distance early in the second quarter, eventually getting within two points at 17-15, but Washington steadily extended its advantage and carried a 29–17 lead into halftime.
They returned from the locker room and scored the first eight points of the second half, quickly building a 37–17 cushion. The extended run swung momentum decisively in Washington’s favor. Washington led 44–27 after three quarters and maintained control throughout the final period to secure the 18-point victory.
Washington’s Offensive Production
Washington received strong scoring performances from Drew Conrad and Nic Stone. Conrad led all scorers with 19 points in a season-high outing, while Stone followed with 17 points. Rajan Roth added seven points for the Demons after entering the game averaging 15 per contest.
Fairfield Player Stats
Fairfield was led offensively by Ethan Bisgard, who scored a season-high 14 points while adding two rebounds and one assist. Eli Zillman recorded a season-best performance with a double-double, recording 10 points and 10 rebounds, along with an assist and a steal. Drew Myers finished with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals, impacting the game defensively and as a facilitator despite not scoring for the first time this season. Axl Starr finished with two points and three rebounds, while Brock Atwood pulled down two rebounds.
Off the bench, Jeremy Parker provided six points, four rebounds, and two assists. Nolan Smith added three points and four rebounds, Spencer McCready chipped in two points, two rebounds, and two steals, and Luke Thornton scored two points while grabbing two rebounds.
Offensive Challenges
Fairfield struggled to find offensive consistency, particularly from long range. The Trojans shot just 15-of-49 from the field for 30.6 percent and connected on only 2-of-20 attempts from three-point range. Fairfield went 7-of-14 at the free-throw line, collected 33 rebounds, and committed 20 turnovers, which Washington converted into scoring opportunities.
Coach’s Perspective
Fairfield head coach Nate Perkins said the Trojans generated quality looks but were unable to capitalize.
“We are getting good looks—we just didn’t knock them down on Friday,” Perkins said. “Washington turned our mistakes into their success by scoring off our turnovers, and we need to limit second-chance opportunities. We played some really good defense that resulted in a Washington offensive rebound and score.”
Despite the result, Perkins remains optimistic about his team’s progress.
“These guys are really working hard, and we need to address these areas, but I’m confident that we will come out ready to go Friday night,” he said.
The Trojans will look to respond as conference play continues when they host Keokuk on Friday, December 19th.
