Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University women's basketball team won their third-straight game by knocking off Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Niagara University, 57-46, this afternoon at Alumni Hall. Senior Taryn Johnson registered her seventh double-double of the season finishing with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Johnson went 8-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. Johnson also tied a career-high by blocking four shots. Sophomore Katie Cizynski just missed a double-double finishing with 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
In the first half, Niagara (6-14; 3-5 MAAC) used a 10-2 run midway through the period to pull away from the Stags, 20-15. Fairfield countered with a 6-0 run of its own, taking a 21-20 lead on a basket by Johnson at 5:49. The Purple Eagles regained a 25-23 lead with 55 seconds remaining in the half but Alexys Vazquez knocked down a three-pointer with 27 ticks on the clock to give Fairfield a 26-25 lead heading into the break.
 
The Purple Eagles came out firing to start the second half taking a 34-30 lead at 15:19. Fairfield responded by holding Niagara scoreless for the next eight minutes as the Stags rolled to 41-34 advantage behind an 11-0 run. Lauren Gatto broke Niagara's drought at 7:34, but Fairfield posted eight unanswered points to extend the lead to 49-37 with 5:18 left to play.
 
Niagara cut the gap to six points, 50-44, on a three-pointer by Ali Morris, but Fairfield held off the Purple Eagles its 11th victory in the last 13 games.
 
Vazquez finished with six points for the Stags. Junior Katelyn Linney added six points on a pair of three-pointers while senior Desiree Pina tallied seven points. For Niagara, Gatto tallied 20 points on 9-for-11 shooting to go along with seven rebounds.
 
Fairfield (14-5; 7-1 MAAC) moves to 7-0 in Alumni Hall this season. This afternoon's game marked the 300th Stags women's basketball game played in Alumni Hall as Fairfield moved to 230-70 all-time in its on-campus facility.
 
The Stags return to the Webster Bank Arena on January 27 at 4pm against Manhattan College in the National MAAC Game of the Week on ESPN3. Friday's game as been designated as Play 4Kay Day, a national initiative to raise breast cancer awareness on the court, across campuses, and in the communities.
 
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to the game in support of the cause. St. Vincent's SWIM Across the Sound will receive 50 percent of the ticket proceeds from the game when fans use the promotional code: SWIM. Tickets can be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.com or at the Webster Bank Arena Box Office.