FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After a long and challenging non-conference slate, the Stags will play in their final non-league game when they travel to Philadelphia, Pa. to take on former MAAC member La Salle on Sunday at 1pm. The Stags have won two of the last three meetings between the two schools and hold a 14-12 advantage in the all-time series. This will be the tenth game this season that the Stags will face a team with a winning record.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fairfield is coming off their third straight loss, dropping a 76-63 decision to Iowa State. The Stags played perhaps their best game against one of their more difficult opponent in Iowa State. Fairfield trailed by just six with nine minutes to go in the game but could not complete the comeback. The Stags shot 43 percent in the contest, their third highest shooting percentage in any non-conference game this season. Fairfield also had the same assist-turnover ratio as Iowa State. The Cyclones had come into the game leading the country in that category. Fairfield had 14 assists to nine turnovers compared to the home team's 16 assists and 10 giveaways. Kristin Schatzlein led the Stags for the seventh time this season, scoring 19 points in the contest. Helena Orts tied a career-high with 12 points, the second time in three games that she has reached that feat. Lizzy Ball and Macey Hollenshead also hit their first career 3-pointer in the defeat.
NOW THAT'S TOUGH: The Stags have the ninth most difficult schedule in the country, with stats updated through games played on December 25th. Fairfield's past opponents have a record of 63-29, with a .685 winning percentage. Statistically Fairfield has a tougher early season schedule than schools such as UCONN, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Hampton has the toughest schedule in the country thus far. The Stags have played three games against a team that has received votes in the national polls at some point this season. Five of their non-conference opponents played in a national postseason last year.
FAIRFIELD vs. A-10: The Stags are 49-29 against teams currently a part of the Atlantic 10
ALL ABOUT SHOTS: Kristin Schatzlein reached double figures in every game through the first six games, the second straight season a Stag has accomplished this feat. Katie Cizynski was the one who accomplished that last year. Schatzlein has led her team in scoring seven times during their first 10 games. That number ties for the most in the conference with Iona's Damika Martinez who has led the Gaels in seven of their nine outings. The junior is currently fourth in the league in scoring and has accounted for 25 percent of the team's points. Schatzlein is already halfway near her amount of points from last season and is on pace to score 450 this season.
HELENA OF TROY: Helena Orts is starting to find her stride as of late, averaging 10.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in the last three contests. The 32 points is third on the team during that span.
Orts is coming off a career-high 60 percent shooting from the floor and has tied her personal best with 12 points in two of the last three games. Orts has taken 34 shots which is tied for the second most on the team. Nine of her 11 rebounds have been off the offensive glass during the last three contests.
FAIRFIELD VS. LA SALLE: This will be the fourth straight season that these two teams will meet, and the 27th time in their history. Fairfield is 2-1 against the Explorers in the Joe Frager era and also holds a 14-12 advantage in the all-time series. The Stags are 4-7 against the Explorers on the road and will be traveling to Philadelphia for the second time during Frager's campaign. Schatzlein is averaging 9.5 points against the Explorers while shooting .500 from the floor and .571 from deep. Felicia DaCruz has eight assists and just one turnovers against La Salle. Kristine Miller had six points and did not miss a shot (2-2 FG, 2-2 FT) in her only appearance against La Salle.
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS: La Salle is coming into the game, winners of seven of their last nine games which includes a six-game winning streak. The winning streak was the longest for the program since the 2011-12 season. La Salle's statistics are basically a mirror image to their opponents. The Explorers have been outscored by just 15 points through their first 11 games. The Explorers are shooting .381 percent from the floor and have dished out 131 assists, both of those numbers are the exact same as their opponents. La Salle is much improved from long range, shooting over 36 percent from behind the arc. Last season, the Explorers shot just 28 percent from that distance. The Explorers are led by Micahya Owens who leads the team with 14.1 points per game and 22 3-pointers made. Owens is eighth in the A-10 in scoring. Alicia Cropper is the only other player averaging double figures, with 12.3 per contest. Cropper was the only player to be named to a Preseason All Atlantic-10 team.
UP NEXT: Fairfield will finally return home during their first game of the 2015 calendar year when they host the Niagara Purple Eagles on January 4, at 2pm.
