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Final Score: Niagara 74 - Fairfield 80

Bridgeport, CT (Sports Network) - Anthony Johnson produced a huge double- double with 24 points and an astonishing 23 rebounds as he helped lead the Fairfield Stags to an 80-74 overtime win against the Niagara Purple Eagles in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference action at the Arena at Harbor Yard.

Anthony Johnson, who shot 6-of-12 from the field and 12-of-15 at the free- throw line, recorded the fourth-most rebounds in a single game this season as the Stags (20-9, 13-5 MAAC) finished the afternoon with a 53-42 edge on the glass overall. Sean Crawford tallied a game-high 25 points, followed by Shimeek Johnson and Derek Needham with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

The Purple Eagles (17-14, 9-9), who had a four-game win streak snapped, were paced by Bilal Benn, Demetrius Williamson and Tyrone Lewis, all of whom scored 15 points, while the former also cleared 13 rebounds, handed out four assists and registered three steals. Scooter Gillette chipped in 11 points off the bench.

Fairfield opened the contest on an 8-0 run, but the squad ended up shooting just 29.0 percent from the field in the frame and was up by only three points at the break, 29-26.

In the second half it wasn't until the nine-minute mark that Niagara was able to move ahead on a layup by Benn, but the team needed a layup by Rob Garrison with 35 seconds remaining to tie the meeting at 65-65 and sent it to overtime.

Anthony Johnson converted a pair of layups to open the bonus session and from there the Stags assumed control and captured the six-point win.

Fairfield survived the meeting despite suffering 16 turnovers and shooting only 8-of-26 behind the three-point line.

The 23 rebounds for Anthony Johnson tied him for the fifth-most in program history. The all-time rebounding record in a single game for Fairfield stands at 28 set by Art Crawford in 1960.

With their 20th win the Stags reached that elusive plateau for the first time since the 1995-96 campaign.

Fairfield has been tabbed as the second seed in the upcoming MAAC Tournament beginning on March 5 and as such will face off against the winner of the Canisius/Marist contest on Saturday. Niagara is the sixth-seed in the event and will contend with third-seeded Iona in the quarterfinals as well.