Box Score


FAIRFIELD, Conn.  – Five Stags scored in double figures as the Fairfield University women's basketball team downed Saint Francis University, 71-51, this evening in the first round of the 2013 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI) at Alumni Hall. With the victory, the Stags will face No. 2 University of Pennsylvania in the quarterfinals on Saturday, March 23 at 7pm at the historic Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa. 
 
Freshman Kristin Schatzlein dropped in a career-high 16 points to lead all scorers and had a career-best five rebounds. The rookie went 6-for-10 from the field, including a 4-for-6 effort from three-point range. Junior Alexys Vazquez posted 14 points, going 5-for-7 from the floor and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
 
Junior Katie Cizynski notched her 10th double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds while junior Brittany Obi-Tabot had 11 points and six rebounds.
 
Senior Katelyn Linney finished with 10 points and five assists. Thursday night's game was Linney's 127th career game and her 126th career start, both of which tie the program record.
 
Fairfield's offense was clicking in the first half as the Stags shot 54.8 percent and had three players – Schatzlein, Vazquez, and Cizynski – with 11 points apiece. While the half was close at the onset, Fairfield went on a 15-5 run over the final 4:55 of the frame to take a 43-32 advantage into the break.
 
The Stags controlled in the second half going up by as much as 21 points, 56-35, on a lay-in by Schatzlein less than six minutes into the half. Fairfield never looked back, cruising to the second round of the WBI for the second time in program history.
 
Fairfield shot 49.1 percent (26-for-53) from the field and 45.5 percent (10-for-22) from three-point range for the game. The Stags out-rebounded the Red Flash, 43-32.
 
Junior Christelle Akon-Akech had a career-high seven assists to go along with seven rounds while senior Brittany MacFarlane had seven rebounds and four assists.
 
Fairfield (18-13) last advanced to the quarterfinals of the WBI in 2010 after knocking off Towson University in the opening round. The Stags fell to eventual WBI champion Appalachian State University in the quarterfinals.