FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The wait is over. After the long offseason full of practices, scrimmages, and buzz the Fairfield women's basketball team will officially begin the 2014-15 campaign when they travel of Kingston, R.I. to participate in the URI Tip-off Tournament. The Stags will play East Carolina on Friday at 2pm. and then play the very next day against Marshall at 12:30pm. Both games will be streamed on WVOF.org. Fans can watch the game against Marshall live online.
A LOOK BACK: Fairfield went 22-11 and 15-5 in the MAAC last season, the fourth time that the Stags have won 20 games in Joe Frager's seven years as head coach. The Stags had their longest run in program history in a national tournament, reaching the semifinals of the Women's Basketball Invitational. It was the fourth time in the last five seasons that Fairfield has participated in a national postseason tournament. Fairfield's biggest win of the year came on February 8, when they beat eventual MAAC Champion Marist on the road during Marist's “Pack the House” night. It was the first win for the Stags in the McCann Arena since 2008.
A LOOK FORWARD: Fairfield returns two starters from last year's squad with the two guards in Felicia DaCruz and Kristin Schatzlein. DaCruz will be the primary ball hander for Fairfield after finishing last season fourth in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.31). Schatzlein hit 64 three-pointers last season and shot .358 from long-range. The Stags welcome their largest class in the Joe Frager era, as they bring in six freshmen to Stags Country. Fairfield will also have the honor of seeing transfers Casey Smith and Margeaux Dupuy in a Stags uniform after sitting out all of last year under NCAA transfer rules. Fairfield was picked to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Poll.
ANOTHER TOURNAMENT: This marks the 18th straight season that Fairfield has taken place in a regular season tournament. Fairfield won all four games in their two tournaments last season, the second time in program history they were able to accomplish that. In their Division I history, Fairfield has played in a tournament in 18 different states as we as the Bahamas and Aruba.
FAIRFIELD IN SEASON OPENERS: Fairfield has won six of the last seven season openers under Joe Frager with their only setback coming against Florida. This is the fourth time in program history the season will open on Novemeber 14. Fairfield opened on this day in three-straight seasons (2007-09). The Stags are 3-0 in those games.
ALL ABOUT EAST CAROLINA: The Stags and the Pirates will be meeting for the first time since 1998. Fairfield is 2-1 all-time against the American Athletic Conference school with their last victory coming in 1984. The two teams played once before in a season opener, with Fairfield defeating East Carolina 58-54 in the first game of the 1982 campaign, it was just the second season of Fairfield's Division I program. The Pirates were picked to finish third in their first season in the American Athletic Conference behind just UConn and USF. Redshirt junior Jada Payne was named to the second-team all conference preseason team after averaging 18.4 points per game and 7.5 rebounds.
East Carolina is returning all five starters from last year's squad that went 22-9 and reached the WNIT. The Pirates are led by Payne who broke single-season records for three-pointers made (70) and free-throw percentage (.843). The 569 points scored last year was the sixth most scored in program history.
ALL ABOUT MARSHALL: The two teams have met just once in program history which was a 58-54 Marshall victory. That game was also on a neutral site as part of the Holiday Classic in Tampa, Fla. Marshall is coming off an 11-20 season and a 3-13 Conference USA campaign. The Thundering Herd have their most experienced roster under Head Coach Matt Daniel with five seniors and three juniors. The Thundering Herd was picked to finish 14th in the 14 team Conference USA in the preseason poll. Marshall returns nine players from last season including their leader in points, steals, assists, and blocks.
◊ Marshall is led by Leah Scott who was the only player to average double figures last sea- son (11.7). Norrisha Victrum was the top passer last season, averaging 3.3 assists per game. Chukwuka Ezeigbo led the squad with 7.1 rebounds per outing.
UP NEXT: The Stags will hit the road for heir first true road game of the year when they play Hofstra on Tuesday, November 18 at 7pm.
