Box Score

 LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. – The Fairfield University women's basketball team closed out the 2011-12 regular season with 49-30 victory at Rider University in Alumni Gym. 

Fairfield moves to 22-7 overall and 15-3 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). The 22 victories are the most for the Stags since 2007-08 when Head Coach Joe Frager debuted with a 22-9 overall record. The 15 MAAC victories are the most since the 2000-01 season when the Stags went 16-2.

Junior Katelyn Linney led the Stags with 13 points, including three three-pointers, four assists, and three steals. Senior Taryn Johnson just missed a double-double, finishing with 10 points and nine rebounds. Junior Brittany MacFarlane grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds to go along with five points.

The Stags hit their first three shots of the game to jump out to a 6-0 lead over the first 1:31. Fairfield quickly extended its lead to 14-2 at 15:08 on a lay-up by Johnson. Rider clawed back pulling within five, 14-9, on a basket by Carleigh Brown at 12:16. Sarah Homan capped off a 9-2 for the Broncs at 9:13 with a lay-up to pull Rider within 14-11. 

Fairfield pushed its lead back to seven points, 22-15, on a free throw by Johnson at 5:09. With just under two minutes to play, Johnson grabbed an offensive board and stuck it in for her tenth point of the half at to put the Stags up, 25-18. A free throw by Laura Vetra at 1:15 gave Fairfield a 26-18 advantage heading into the break. 

The Stags, who are 21-0 when leading at half time, opened the second stanza on a 10-3 run. Alexys Vazquez gave Fairfield a 33-21 lead at 16:59 with a lay-up off a back-door pass from Johnson. Linney followed by draining a three-pointer from the corner with the shot clock winding down to give the Stags a 15-point lead. The three-pointer was the 200th of Linney's career. 

Vazquez finished with five points and five rebounds. Senior Desiree Pina and sophomore Katie Cizynski added five points apiece. Pina also had four rebounds and four assists.

Rider (11-18; 3-15 MAAC) was led by Caitlin Bopp who had 11 points and eight rebounds.

Fairfield will head to the 2012 MAAC Championships at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. as the No. 2 seed. The Stags will open quarterfinal play on Friday, March 2 at 9:30am, facing the winner of Thursday's No. 7/No. 10 game. For complete tournament information, visit MAAC Championship Central.