The Fairfield University women's basketball team returns to the road in search of its seventh consecutive victory, traveling to Loudonville, N.Y. to take on Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Siena College.  Arguably the greatest rivalry in MAAC women's basketball history, tonight's contest matches two of the leagues unbeatens, as both the Stags and Saints are 3-0 in conference action.  Fairfield, 10-3, overall, is playing on the road for the third time in league play, while Siena, 5-8, is at home for the second consecutive game.

 

John Cummings will call the action live on WVOF 88.5 FM and fans can visit Siena's athletic website for other viewing options.

 

Fairfield and Siena are meeting for the 54th time with the Stags holding a 29-24 advantage.  The team's split last season's meetings, with both squads winning on the others home floor.  The Stags won the Loudonville meeting 51-50, the second win in as many years on the road.  Siena defeated the Stags 67-50 in Bridgeport last season, snapping a four-game series losing streak.  Under Joe Frager the Stags are 6-2 against Siena, with a 4-2 mark in regular season play and a 2-1 mark at the Alumni Recreation Center.  The two teams have met 10 times in the MAAC Tournament, including five straight seasons before the 2010 Championships.

 

Fairfield ranks among the nation's elite in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score just 47.3 points per game and are allowing 45.7 points per game in the first three conference games of the year. The Stags field goal defense is impressive as well, holding opponents to 32.4 percent overall and 26.5 percent from behind the arc. MAAC foes are shooting just 29.8 percent from the floor against the Stags, 35.5 from behind the arc. And have committed 50 turnovers in the three games.

 

Fairfield is one of four remaining unbeatens in the MAAC, with a 3-0 record. Siena, and Friday's opponent, Loyola, are both also on that unbeaten list through Saturday, as is Marist. The start is the best league start for t he Stags since the 2005-06 seasons, the last time it opened with a 3-0 record in MAAC play.  The 3-0 start is the sixth in program history, of which two have gotten to 4-0.  The Stags best MAAC start came in 2000-01 campaign, when the team opened 8-0 on its way to a 16-2 final MAAC record and an eventual at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament.  The 1990-91 team opened 4-0 before falling to none other than Siena, and then rebounding to win 11 straight to finish league play 15-1.

 

Siena enters tonight's game at 5-8 on the year and having won four consecutive games. The Saints, who are averaging 52.4 points per game, are being outscored by 5.8 points per game this season, but are +1.0 in rebounding margin.  The Saints are shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from behind the arc, while hitting 61.6 percent of their free throws.  Siena opponents are shooting 39.6 percent from the field, 33.6 from behind the arc.  Foes are shooting 66.5 percent from the free throw line, with 20 more makes than Siena, in just 14 additional attempts.  Serena Moore is leading the Saints in both scoring (14.8) and rebounding (8.5), with 19 blocks and 22 assists.  Also in double figures is Maja Gerlyng, at 10.6 points per game and 21 assists.  Cristina Centeno is leading the team with 29 assists and has knocked down a team-best 22 three-pointers and averaged 8.8 points per game.  Siena has committed 236 turnovers on the season, while handing out 138 assists (on 247 made field goals).

 

Half A Century:  Fairfield has held nine opponents this season to 50 or less points and have done so in five of the last six games, including its last two conference victories.  During the Joe Frager era the Stags have held 28 opponents to 50 or less points and are 27-1 in those games, with the only exception being a 30-29 Villanova victory earlier this season.  Under Frager, the Stags have held 15 opponents to 45 or fewer points, seven to under 40 points and three to 30 or fewer points.

 

The Stags are playing their third MAAC road game in four total outings this season, and are 2-0 in road league games.  On the year, the Stags are 4-2 away from home and are averaging 55.3 points in those games.  Fairfield shoots 38.2 percent from the field in road games, led by the 47.5 percent shooting of Joelle Nawrocki.  Katelyn Linney is the Stags leading scorer in road games, averaging 11.7 a game, while hitting 12-33 from behind the arc.  Taryn Johnson averages 10.2 points and a team-best 9.0 rebounds on the road, and has 14 of her team-best 23 blocked shots in the six road games.  Fairfield has more assists (67-63) than its opponents while on the road, while committing 12 fewer turnovers (94-106). Desiree Pina carries a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio in road games, with 19 assists and just nine turnovers in 187 minutes of action.