STONY BROOK, N.Y. — The Stony Brook men's basketball team welcomed back one of its all-time greats on Friday. Then, the Seawolves worked overtime to secure a victory against Fairfield in the home opener at Island Federal Arena.

Tykei Greene, a Manhattan transfer, tallied his first career double-double — including Stony Brook's opening four points of the extra session — as the Seawolves posted a 72-69 victory.

"It felt like home already," said Greene, who faced his second straight familiar MAAC opponent to open his Stony Brook career.

Fairfield (0-3) had possession up two points with 39.9 seconds remaining in regulation, but was unable to inbound the ball and was whistled for a five-second violation. Juan Felix Rodriguez then pulled Stony Brook even at 62 with a driving layup at the other end.

Again, Stony Brook's defense stood tall. And the Stags — unable to get off a shot — suffered a shot-clock violation with 3.5 seconds remaining that gave the Seawolves the final possession of regulation. Greene's long-distance three-point heave at the buzzer narrowly came up short, though, and the teams headed to overtime.

Greene finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Rodriguez led the Seawolves with 21 points and also contributed five assists and five rebounds.

"Our team has some toughness, and it starts with Tykei," coach Geno Ford said.

Stony Brook had as much as a six-point lead in the final minute of overtime, but it remained a one-possession game for Fairfield in the final seconds. The Stags, down three, failed to get off a final shot before the buzzer, although they had attempted a layup anyway.

The game marked the return of Fairfield assistant coach Bryan Dougher, who ranks second on Stony Brook's all-time scoring list during the Division I era. Dougher is a 2020 inductee into the Rita & Kurt Eppenstein Stony Brook Athletics Hall of Fame. 
 
As was the case in the season opener at Saint Peter's, Stony Brook had inopportune misses at the free-throw line, this time shooting 16-for-33. However, the Seawolves reduced their turnover total, committing only 12.

"The first game we were adjusting," Rodriguez said. "During this game, we felt the offense was smoother."

After trailing by as many as 10 points in the first half, Stony Brook took its first lead, 30-29, on Greene's layup during the opening minute of the second half.

The lead ultimately swelled to six points on Frankie Policelli's layup with 14:12 remaining. However, Fairfield retook the lead, 52-50, on a three-point play from Jalen Leach with 7:34 to go and the teams ultimately required the extra session to settle things.

"I thought we won it on the defensive end," Ford said. "Our turnovers were a million times better."

Stony Brook (1-1) returns to action Sunday when it faces St. John's at 2:30 p.m. at Carnesecca Arena (FS1).

"Hopefully on Sunday we can keep the turnovers in that direction and maybe make a free throw," Ford quipped. "We're thinking about an award for the first guy to make two in a row. So we'll come up with something. We can put a banner up, 'We made two free throws,' or something."