FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Senior Alexys Vazquez hit four free throws in the final 10.4 seconds of the game to seal a 63-57 victory for the Fairfield University women's basketball team over Canisius College this evening at Alumni Hall.
 
Canisius (7-12; 3-7 MAAC) was in the midst of a comeback in the closing seconds of the game. After pulling within 59-57 with 13.5 seconds left, the Griffs fouled Vazquez on the ensuing inbound to stop the clock. At the same time, a technical foul was charged to the Canisius bench. Vazquez made good on the technical foul shots and then made both free throws to secure the win.
 
Vazquez finished the night with a game-high 19 points on 5-for-10 shooting from the field with all five buckets coming from three-point range. Senior Katie Cizynski scored in double figures for the tenth straight game, finishing with 16 points, including the 900th of her career, on 8-for-13 shooting while grabbing six rebounds. Sophomore Kristin Schatzlein finished with 13 points on 5-for-12 shooting.
 
It was a tale of two halves for the Stags who improved to 11-7 overall and 6-3 in the MAAC. In the first half, Fairfield used a 23-3 run while shooting a collective 53.8 percent from the field and 60 percent from three-point range. In the second half, however, Fairfield shot just 34.6 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three-point range allowing Canisius back into the game.
 
Trailing 5-4 early on, Brittany Obi-Tabot capitalized on a trip to the free throw line, making both to put the Stags on top. Schatzlein then sank back-to-back three-pointers to make it 12-5 while a jumper by Cizynski and a three by Vazquez capped off a 13-0 stretch. After a bucket by Canisius at 13:04, the Stags pushed out to a 22-7 lead on a three by Vazquez and a jumper by Cizynski. Another three-pointer by Vazquez at 10:03 put Fairfield ahead, 27-8. The Stags held off a late run by the Griffs and took a 36-27 lead into the break.
 
Canisius cut into the Fairfield lead at the start of the second half, pulling with 40-33 on a basket by Crystal Porter at 16:06. The Griffs continued to chip away, moving within 44-39 on a lay-up by Porter at 12:04. Both teams went cold until 8:44 when Obi-Tabot netted a pair of free throws to make it 46-39.
 
With just over five minutes remaining, the Griffs' Jen Morabito made it a four-point game, 52-48, with a pair of free throws. Porter followed with a lay-up at 4:14 to make it a one possession game while Kayla Hoohuli tied it up, 52-52, a minute later with a lay-in.
 
A Cizynski jumper from the top of the key broke the stalemate at 2:18. After getting a stop on the defensive end, Schatzlein found a slashing Obi-Tabot for an easy lay-in at 1:15 to make the score 56-52. After a bucket by Canisius, Vazquez drained a three with 44.1 seconds left to make it 59-54. Porter answered with a lay-up with 28 ticks left on the clock. With 13.5 seconds left, a free throw by Porter pulled Canisius within 59-57. Three seconds later, Vazquez was standing at the foul line putting the game away.
 
Obi-Tabot recorded nine rebounds and eight points. Junior Felicia DaCruz had five points and five assists with no turnovers in 40 minutes of action. For Canisius, Morabito finished with 16 points while Porter had 15 points off the bench. 
 
Fairfield continues MAAC road play on January 26 when the Stags head up the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways to Quinnipiac University for a 1pm start.