NCAAB · Final

Penn State Defeats Fairfield 76-68 in Season Opener

Monday, November 3, 2025, 7:00 PM ET · Bryce Jordan Center

Penn State Nittany Lions 76, Fairfield Stags 68, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.

Next free pick (not the main pick)

The next free pick, for your email

Team, bet, price and the hash it was sealed under, on this page the moment you send. Lose or win, it stays public.

Unlock today's pick in Telegram →

or by email

Public record of the main pick, losses included: 115 won, 44 lost. See every pick

One free pick a day by email until you unsubscribe, in one click. 21+.

Get the daily free pick · See plans

Quick answers

Who won Fairfield Stags vs Penn State Nittany Lions?

Penn State Nittany Lions beat Fairfield Stags 76-68 at Bryce Jordan Center on November 3, 2025.

In an exciting season opener at the Bryce Jordan Center, the Penn State Nittany Lions secured a 76-68 victory over the Fairfield Stags. This matchup was particularly noteworthy as it marked the beginning of the NCAAB season for both teams, with Penn State entering the game with a home record of 1-0 and Fairfield looking to bounce back from an away loss, making their record 0-1.

The Nittany Lions came into this game with a mixed recent form, holding a record of 3-7 over their last ten games. However, they had a positive trend recently, winning their last game against the Wisconsin Badgers with a score of 86-75. In their last five games, they averaged 77.2 points scored while allowing 71.6 points. At home, Penn State had a record of 1-4 in their last five games, indicating some struggles on their own court, but they managed to secure the win in this opener.

On the other hand, the Fairfield Stags had a record of 4-6 in their last ten games leading up to this fixture, but they were on a downward trend, having lost their last game against the Sacred Heart Pioneers, 58-71. Their scoring average over the last five games was 67.2 points, while they allowed 71.6 points. Fairfield's away record was particularly concerning at 1-4, which contributed to their inability to secure a win in this matchup.

The game itself was a back-and-forth affair, showcasing the competitive spirit of both teams. The scoring began to heat up in the second half, where a notable moment came when Braden Sparks made a jumper to bring the score to 68-65 in favor of Fairfield. However, Melih Tunca quickly responded with a three-point jumper, tying the game at 68. From there, Penn State took control, with Kayden Mingo making crucial plays, including a layup and free throws that helped extend their lead.

In terms of previous meetings, this was a fresh encounter for both teams, as they had not faced each other recently. The injury picture for this game was not mentioned, suggesting both teams were at full strength for the opener.

The market had priced this matchup with a strong indication of confidence in Penn State, giving them a home win probability of 1.0, reflecting their status as favorites in this contest.

Conditions in the Bryce Jordan Center were favorable for basketball, with a home crowd supporting Penn State, which likely contributed to their performance. Fans could expect to see how well both teams adapted to the early season pressure, with Penn State demonstrating resilience in the closing moments of the game.

Overall, the Nittany Lions' victory not only marked a successful start to their season but also showcased their ability to perform under pressure, setting a promising tone for their upcoming games.

Leaders

PointsMelih Tunca19Penn State Nittany Lions
AssistsMelih Tunca6Penn State Nittany Lions
ReboundsTibor Mirtic11Penn State Nittany Lions
PointsBraden Sparks25Fairfield Stags
AssistsHalon Rawlins3Fairfield Stags
ReboundsBrandon Benjamin10Fairfield Stags

Recent form

Penn State Nittany Lions

Last 10: 3-7Streak W170.5 scored · 75.5 allowed per game1-4 at home

W86-75at Wisconsin BadgersMar 8
L64-68vs Maryland TerrapinsMar 1
L78-83at Indiana HoosiersFeb 27
W69-60at Minnesota Golden GophersFeb 22
W89-72vs Nebraska CornhuskersFeb 19
L73-75vs Washington HuskiesFeb 15
L67-92at USC TrojansFeb 12
L54-78at UCLA BruinsFeb 8
L61-69vs Minnesota Golden GophersFeb 5
L64-83vs Ohio State BuckeyesJan 30

Fairfield Stags

Last 10: 4-6Streak L165.4 scored · 68.5 allowed per game1-4 away

L58-71at Sacred Heart PioneersMar 12
W83-74vs Quinnipiac BobcatsMar 9
L64-68at Siena SaintsMar 7
L62-83at Sacred Heart PioneersMar 2
W69-62vs Mount St. Mary's MountaineersMar 1
W69-49at Rider BroncsFeb 22
L67-80vs Manhattan JaspersFeb 16
L52-65at Saint Peter's PeacocksFeb 15
L71-77vs Sacred Heart PioneersFeb 9
W59-56vs Marist Red FoxesFeb 7

Standings

Team	Overall	Games behind	In conference
Merrimack	23-11	-	17-3
Saint Peter's	17-12	3	14-6
Siena	23-12	4	13-7
Marist	19-12	5	12-8
Quinnipiac	19-13	5	12-8
Fairfield	21-13	6	11-9
Mount St. Mary's	15-17	6	11-9
Iona	18-14	7	10-10
Sacred Heart	14-19	8	9-11
Manhattan	12-20	9	8-12
Canisius	10-21	12	5-15
Niagara	8-22	12	5-15
Rider	4-25	14	3-17
Michigan	37-3	-	19-1
Nebraska	28-7	4	15-5
Michigan State	27-8	4	15-5
Illinois	28-9	4	15-5
Wisconsin	24-11	5	14-6
Purdue	30-9	6	13-7
UCLA	24-12	6	13-7
Ohio State	21-13	7	12-8
Iowa	24-13	9	10-10
Indiana	18-14	10	9-11
Minnesota	15-18	11	8-12
USC	18-14	12	7-13
Washington	16-17	12	7-13
Rutgers	14-20	13	6-14
Northwestern	15-19	14	5-15
Oregon	12-20	14	5-15
Maryland	12-21	15	4-16
Penn State	12-20	16	3-17

Box score

Stat	Fairfield Stags	Penn State Nittany Lions
Field goals	27-70	28-57
Field goal %	39	49
Three-pointers	6-33	5-18
Three-point %	18	28
Free throws	8-9	15-25
Free throw %	89	60
Rebounds	38	39
Offensive rebounds	12	7
Defensive rebounds	26	32
Assists	10	13
Steals	3	5
Blocks	2	2
Turnovers	7	7
Team turnovers	0	0
Technical fouls	0	0
Technical fouls, total	0	0
Flagrant fouls	0	0
Points off turnovers	7	9
Fast-break points	2	22
Points in the paint	38	42
Fouls	21	11
Largest lead	13	8

How the scoring went

2nd Half39-40Ivan Juric made Free Throw.
2nd Half39-41Ivan Juric made Free Throw.
2nd Half41-41Braden Sparks made Layup.
2nd Half43-41Brandon Benjamin made Layup. Assisted by Halon Rawlins.
2nd Half43-43Ivan Juric made Two Point Tip Shot.
2nd Half45-43Declan Wucherpfennig made Layup.
2nd Half46-43Declan Wucherpfennig made Free Throw.
2nd Half48-43Declan Wucherpfennig made Layup.
2nd Half49-43Brandon Benjamin made Free Throw.
2nd Half50-43Brandon Benjamin made Free Throw.
2nd Half50-45Kayden Mingo made Jumper. Assisted by Freddie Dilione V.
2nd Half52-45Braden Sparks made Jumper.
2nd Half52-48Dominick Stewart made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Kayden Mingo.
2nd Half52-50Dominick Stewart made Jumper. Assisted by Melih Tunca.
2nd Half54-50Brandon Benjamin made Layup. Assisted by Halon Rawlins.
2nd Half54-52Saa Ciani made Layup. Assisted by Tibor Mirtic.
2nd Half54-53Saa Ciani made Free Throw.
2nd Half54-55Dominick Stewart made Jumper.
2nd Half56-55Eric Mejia made Jumper.
2nd Half56-56Melih Tunca made Free Throw.
2nd Half56-57Eli Rice made Free Throw.
2nd Half56-58Eli Rice made Free Throw.
2nd Half57-58Deuce Turner made Free Throw.
2nd Half58-58Deuce Turner made Free Throw.
2nd Half59-58Deuce Turner made Free Throw.
2nd Half59-60Melih Tunca made Dunk. Assisted by Kayden Mingo.
2nd Half61-60Brandon Benjamin made Layup. Assisted by Braden Sparks.
2nd Half62-60Declan Wucherpfennig made Free Throw.
2nd Half63-60Declan Wucherpfennig made Free Throw.
2nd Half66-60Braden Sparks made Three Point Jumper.
2nd Half66-63Ivan Juric made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Melih Tunca.
2nd Half66-65Ivan Juric made Two Point Tip Shot.
2nd Half68-65Braden Sparks made Jumper.
2nd Half68-68Melih Tunca made Three Point Jumper. Assisted by Freddie Dilione V.
2nd Half68-70Kayden Mingo made Layup.
2nd Half68-71Kayden Mingo made Free Throw.
2nd Half68-73Tibor Mirtic made Two Point Tip Shot.
2nd Half68-74Melih Tunca made Free Throw.
2nd Half68-75Melih Tunca made Free Throw.
2nd Half68-76Melih Tunca made Free Throw.