ALBANY, N.Y. – The journey that the women's basketball team started in November has reached its highest point. The third-seeded Stags will open up the MAAC Quarterfinals against No. 6 Niagara at the Times Union Center on Friday at 9:30pm. The Stags will look to avenge two straight losses to the Purple Eagles during the regular season, something that Niagara had not done in over 10 years. Fairfield will be seeking a trip to the MAAC Semifinals for the first time since 2012.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Fairfield is coming off their second-straight victory as they defeated the Manhattan Jaspers 72-54 on the road. The 18-point margin was the highest winning score in over a year. The Stags continued their offensive success by setting a season high in field goal percentage (.566) and tying a season mark in field goals made (30). The Stags shot 68 percent in the first half (six points higher than any half this season) and totaled 43 points, the highest amount for any opening stanza this year. For the seventh time this season, four Stags scored in double figures (the Stags are 6-1 in those games). Fairfield was led by Samantha Cooper's 16-points as she tied a career-high four 3-pointers (tied with the first game this season). Casey Smith shot 70 percent in the game with 14 points, Kristin Schatzlein had her third-straight 14 point performance and Kelsey Carey rounded out the foursome with 14 points of her own (10 in the second half). The last five times the Stags have reached the MAAC Final round they had won the final game of the regular season.
STAGS AS THE THREE SEED: The Stags clinched the number three seed in the MAAC Tournament for the third-straight season and the 11th time in program history. Fairfield has a record of 11-9 as the third seed in the tournament, winning the championship in 1988.
A TALE OF TWO HALVES: It was the worst of times for the first 12 games of the Stags' season as they started out 2-10 overall and 1-2 in the MAAC. The 10 losses was the most in the first 12 games since the 2002-03 season. The losing streak was capped after a loss to Niagara at home with a last minute Purple Eagle layup. The times changed for the Stags on January 6 when Fairfield upset nine-time defending MAAC Champions Marist at the McCann Center. Fairfield became the first team in over a decade to win back-to-back games at the McCann Center. Interestingly, however, Fairfield is scoring less points per game (55.6 compared to 59.7) since that victory.
POSTSEASON HONORS: Casey Smith and Kristin Schatzlein were both named to the All-MAAC Third Team by the leagues coaches for the first time in their career. The duo averaged 24 of the teams' points per game this season. Schatzlein has been the go-to player for the Stags this season and netted her 800th career point in the recent win against Manhattan. Smith has won six MAAC Rookie of the Week honors which ties a program record. Smith was also named to the All-MAAC Rookie team, becoming the first player in program history named to two All-MAAC squads.
IT'S TOUGH TO BEAT A TEAM THREE TIMES….IS IT?: The old adage of 'It's tough to beat a team three times' might not apply to the Stags. In their tournament history, the Stags have played in 13 games against team that swept them in the regular season. Fairfield is 1-12 in those games with their only win coming in 1987-88 when they avenged a loss to La Salle. On the flip side, the Stags have seen a team that they swept in the regular season 22 times and are 19-3 against them (two of those losses have come in the last two years).
FAIRFIELD VS. NIAGARA: Fairfield and Niagara will be meeting for the fifth time in the MAAC Tournament and the first time since 2003. The Stags are 2-2 in those games, but have dropped the last two in the postseason. Fairfield is looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak against the Purple Eagles since they dropped six-straight between 2002-04. All-time the Stags are 34-20 against Niagara. The two meetings between the two teams have been eerily similar. In the first contest, the Stags allowed Niagara to shoot .531 from the floor (Niagara shot .532 in the second game). The Stags were out-rebounded in both contests (40-23 in the first; 37-21 in the second). In both games, Niagara had a 21-9 edge on the boards in the first half. On the positive side, the Stags had the best passing performances against Niagara in 15 years. The Stags had 19 assists in both contests with only five turnovers in the first loss (and six miscues in the second). The Purple Eagles have found ways to win despite combining for 35 turnovers in the two games, one reason is through their shooting from long range. Niagara is shooting .500 10-for-20 from 3-point land in the two meetings. Casey Smith was the leading scorer for the Stags in their two games against the Purple Eagles. Smith averaged 14.5 points per game and shot 44 percent from the floor. Kristin Schatzlein (11.0) and Kelsey Carey (10.0) also averaged double figures with Carey shooting a team best .556 in the two games.
SCOUTING THE PURPLE EAGLES: The Purple Eagles will be trying to advance to the MAAC Semifinals for the second time in the last four seasons after taking a 57-51 win against #11 Manhattan yesterday. Niagara has not won two games in the same tournament since 1997 when they advanced to the MAAC Finals. That was the only year that Niagara has accomplished that feat as they search for their first MAAC title. Although Niagara has lost three of their last five games, you could argue that the Purple Eagles were playing as well as any team in the conference over the last two weeks. In that span, Niagara defeated Fairfield, Marist, and Siena, all teams who earned byes in the tournament. Niagara has been dominant on the boards this season, averaging nearly 42 rebounds per game as they out-rebound their opponent by 6.3, which is tops in the conference. The Purple Eagles also use their height advantage in the paint by holding their opponents to a .365 field goal percentage, which leads the league. Niagara has a couple of dual threats on the team led by All-MAAC Second Team selections in Meghan McGuinness and Victoria Rampado. Heading into the tournament, McGuinness averaged 12.6 points per game while making most of her damage from behind the arc shooting 43 percent from long range, which was 14th in the country. Rampado is the team leader with 12.9 points per contest while shooting 45 percent from the floor. However, something that could scare Stags fans, the two shot a combined 5-28 against Manhattan.
UP NEXT: If Fairfield wins, they will advance to the Semifinals of the MAAC Tournament and play the winner of No. 2 Marist and No. 10 Saint Peter's on Sunday at 1:30pm.
