Sixth-year Canisius coach Tom Parrotta has never won his first game of a new calendar year and has lost every meeting with Fairfield but one.

Both of those trends would continue in 2012.

The Stags jumped out to an 11-0 lead on their home court in Bridgeport, Conn. and never looked back on the way to a 72-54 win on New Year’s Day. Canisius missed its first two shots and turned the ball over four times before Harold Washington got the team on the scoreboard 3:17 into the game.

Canisius was down 44-25 at halftime and trailed by as many as 25 points in the second half before falling to 3-10 overall and 0-3 in MAAC play.

The Griffs shot a miserable 29.5 percent from the field and were only credited with three assists on their 18 field goals. Alshwan Hymes was held without a 3-pointer for the first time this season while the team was just 3 of 12 from beyond the arc on the afternoon.

Fairfield’s leading scorer Rakim Sanders led the way with 21 points as his 8-for-11 day lifted the Stags to a 47.4 shooting percentage. Derek Needham added 15 and Maurice Barrow had 14 as Fairfield stayed unbeaten (3-0) in the conference.

Chris Manhertz pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds — including 11 on the offensive end — and scored 13 points, but another career-high six turnovers put a damper on his final stat line. Washington had only four points at halftime but finished strong to lead the Griffs with 17.

Canisius returns to action on Thursday when it takes on Saint Peter’s in Jersey City, N.J. The Peacocks have stumbled out to a 2-11 record this year but are ahead of Canisius in the MAAC at 1-1.

Both teams have lost to Buffalo and defeated Binghamton already this season. The Griffs and Peacocks split the season series last year. Saint Peter’s plays at Marist Monday before coming home for Thursday’s game.