FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Final exams are officially over, and now the Stags turn the page back to their non-conference schedule.  Fairfield will face arguably their toughest test of the season when they travel to South Orange, N.J. to take on the Seton Hall Pirates.  The Pirates have received 13 votes in the latest top-25 Coaches Poll.  This will be the first road visit to Seton Hall since 2002.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fairfield is coming off their first MAAC loss, dropping a 67-66 decision to preseason co-favorites Quinnipiac. The Stags shot 64 percent from behind the arc in the first half (7-for-11), but were only able to attempt two shots from long range in the second half, tied for the lowest number in any half this season (Hofstra).  The Stags defense held statistically the best offense in the league to several lows. The Bobcats were limited to 67 points and 34 rebounds (both were the second fewest of the season).  Four Stags reached double figures in the contest, with Kristin Schatzlein leading the way with 19 points. Samantha Cooper tallied a career-high 17, Casey Smith had 14, while Helena Orts chipped in a career-high 12.

CAN'T BEAT SMITTY: Stags sophomore Casey Smith earned the first weekly award for the Stags this season when she was named the MAAC Rookie of the Week on December 8. Smith averaged 14 points per game and shot 40 percent from the floor in Fairfield's two conference games of the season. Smith is playing her first season in nearly three years. Smith was ineligible to play last year due to NCAA transfer rules. In her only season at Saint Joseph's, Smith was injured and did not see playing time. The 94 points scored in her first eight games is the most by a Stag rookie in over 15 years.

LEADING THE TEAM: Junior Kristin Schatzlein has led the team in scoring in six of their first eight games of the season. The first time any Stag has accomplished this feat in over 15 years.
 Schatzlein's 123 points this early in a season, is the most since Sabra Wrice had 129 through the first eight games of 2007.
 Before this season, Schatzlein had only led the team in scoring five times during the last two seasons.

HONEY, WE MEET AGAIN: The Stags will be making their first trip to see longtime Iona Head Coach Anthony Bozzella since leaving to go coach his alma-mater.
Fairfield is 12-12 all-time against Anthony Bozzella coached teams, all when he was with Iona. The Stags have won eight of their last nine against Bozzella after snapping an 11 game losing streak that spanned five seasons.

THE SERIES WITH SETON HALL: This will be the 14th meeting between the two schools, with the Pirates holding a 10-3 advantage. Fairfield has not beaten Seton Hall since the 1996 season. The two teams last met on December 8, 2003 at the then Arena at Harbor Yard. Schrene Isidora and Ivana Podrug led the team with 14 points apiece. The Stags were out-rebounded 45-28 in the game.  Fairfield's last victory over Seton Hall came on November 22, 1996 on the road. Chantel Williams hit the game-winner in the 54-53 win.

SCOUTING THE PIRATES: Seton Hall is on an eight game winning streak, the longest since the 2003-04 season. Pirates have earned victories over Penn State, Creighton, and Illinois this season. Seton Hall earned 13 votes in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll. Seton Hall has not been nationally ranked since the 1996-97 season. The Pirates make their name on the defensive side, averaging over 12 steals per game which is the 15th best mark in the country. Four Pirates are averaging double figures with junior Tabatha Richardson-Smith leading the way 18.3 points per game. The wing is coming off a career-high 38 points against Illinois. Seton Hall has forced 20.8 turnovers per game while committing only 13.4. Ka-Deidre Simmons was named to the First-Team All-Big East selection last season, the first Pirate player since 1996 to be named to that team. Seton Hall is coming off one of the most successful seasons in their program history, reaching the third round of the WNIT for the first time in program history.

UP NEXT: The Stags will stay on the road for the middle game of their three-game road swing when they travel to Iowa State on December 21, at 1pm.