Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University women's basketball team held off a second-half surge by Niagara University to top the Purple Eagles, 61-54, this afternoon at Alumni Hall. Three Stags scored in double figures, including junior Katie Cizynski who posted a double-double, as Fairfield improved to 3-1 in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and 9-6 overall.
 
Cizynski pulled down a career-high 14 rebounds to go along with 14 points. The forward, who has scored in double digits in her last six games played, went 4-for-9 from the floor and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Cizynski also tied a career-best with two blocks.
 
Junior Brittany Obi-Tabot scored in double figures for the third straight game, finishing with a team-high 15 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field and a 5-for-6 effort from the charity stripe. Obi-Tabot also grabbed seven rebounds, blocked two shots, and had two steals. Senior Katelyn Linney finished with 12 points, two rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
 
Niagara (7-8; 2-2 MAAC) scored just four seconds into the game but Fairfield rattled off the next nine points for the early lead. The Purple Eagles scored at 15:07 on a jumper by Lauren Gatto but did not score again until 6:49. The Stags, meanwhile, opened up a 17-4 advantage during Niagara's scoring drought. The Purple Eagles, who were just 2-for-20 in the early going, cut the gap to 20-10 at 5:22 after Sylvia Maxwell nabbed an inbounds pass and for the easy lay-up. Fairfield would hold strong, taking a 29-17 lead into halftime. It is the fourth time this season the Stags have held an opponent to under 20 points in the first half and the second time it's been 17 points.
 
The Purple Eagles opened the second half by scoring 11 unanswered points in a 2:38 span to pull within 29-28. Cizynski stopped the run with a pair of free throws at 17:05 and the Stags built their lead back up to 35-28. Niagara clawed back, pulling within 35-34 on a lay-up by Gatto at 13:33. Back-to-back three-pointers by Linney and Alexys Vazquez returned Fairfield's lead to seven points with just over 12 minutes to play.
 
Niagara came back once again, this time overtaking Fairfield, 42-41, on a fast break lay-up by Kelly Van Leeuwen at the 10-minute mark. The Purple Eagles extended their lead to 46-41 before Linney hit a three-pointer with just over seven minutes to play.
 
With 5:50 left, Cizynski put home an offensive rebound while being fouled and then sank a free throw to complete the three-point play and return the lead to Fairfield, 49-48. Niagara later tied the game, 53-53, at 3:59 on a three-pointer by Val McQuade. Fairfield gained ground at the free throw line, hitting four late, including two by Obi-Tabot at 1:54 to make it 57-53. Obi-Tabot netted a lay-up with 29.4 seconds left to make the score, 59-54, while Cizynski and Linney sealed the victory with free throws.
 
Vazquez finished with nine points, going 3-for-4 from long range, and two blocks. Akon-Akech, who made her first career start, finished with five points, four rebounds, and four assists. Senior Brittany MacFarlane added six points and five rebounds. For Niagara, Gatto posted a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds while McQuade had 10 points.
 
Fairfield is off until January 18 when it travels to Iona College for a contest that will air live on ESPN3 at 6pm. That game is a part of a doubleheader with the Fairfield and Iona men's basketball teams who will tip-off at 9pm in New Rochelle, N.Y. live on ESPNU.