BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- Ike Azotam scored 23 points and Zaid Hearst 20 as Quinnipiac defeated Fairfield 80-72 on Thursday night.

Quinnipiac took off to a 16-1 lead never trailed thereafter. The Stags got as close as four with 6:58 left in the game. The Bobcats responded with a 7-0 run to lead by 11 with 5:27 remaining. Fairfield got no closer than eight after that.

Ousmane Drame added 17 points and Shaq Shannon and Evan Conti 10 each for the Bobcats. Conti started in place of Umar Shannon, the Bobcats' third-leading scorer at 14.5 points per game, who was out with a concussion.

Quinnipiac went to the free-throw line 51 times, making 31.

Quinnipiac (16-8, 11-4) is tied for second with Manhattan in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference at 11-4, two games back of Iona, after its fourth straight victory.

Maurice Barrow scored 18 points and K.J. Rose 18 for Fairfield (5-21, 2-13).