FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University women's basketball team will be hosting the team that raised the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) trophy last season as the Iona Gaels visit the George Bisacca Court at Alumni Hall on Sunday at 2pm. The Stags, who are coming off a MAAC opening setback against Siena, will close out the MAAC opening weekend before turning their attention back to the non-conference schedule.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: The Stags lost their third-straight game and dropped to 0-1 in conference play with a 67-52 setback on the road against Siena. It was the first road loss against the Saints since 2011 which spanned five meetings. Although she was not the leading scorer of the team, Samantha Cooper was arguably the best all-around performer for the Stags in the game. Cooper hauled in a career-high 16 rebounds and tallied 11 points to complete her first double-double of the season and the 10th of her career. For the second-straight game, Kelsey Carey was the Stags' leading scorer as the senior posted 16 points in the loss. It was the seventh-straight double figure for Carey who became the first Stag to accomplish that feat since Katie Cizynski back in the 2013-14 season. The defense of the Stags kept Fairfield afloat as the Stags led the game for the majority of the first half. The Stags limited Siena to a .241 (7-for-29) clip from 3-point land including holding Jackie Benitez, who entered the contest as the national leader in 3-pointers per game, to a 2-for-12 (.167) mark from deep.
CAREY-ING ON: Kelsey Carey is the only Stag to have scored in double figures in all seven of the team's games, setting a new career-best with that streak. Carey has totaled 109 points through the first six games after pouring in 16 against Siena. This stretch is the longest in Carey's career, breaking her previous mark set from January 24-February 12 last season. During that stretch, she recorded 87 points (17.4 per game), which is the most she has tallied during any five game stretch of her career. This is the longest double digit streak since Katie Cizynski also reached double figures in seven-straight games to open the 2013-14 campaign. During that season, Cizysnki also posted the most recent Stag streak by scoring 10+ points in 24-straight games to end that season.
THE GAELS SCOUTING REPORT: For the first time in program history, the Iona Gaels have a chance to defend their title as the New Rochelle, N.Y., program is coming off their first-ever championship and trip to the NCAA tournament. Through the first seven games, the Gaels have picked up wins over Stony Brook, VCU, Saint Joseph's, and most recently Manhattan to open up conference play. Just like last season, the Gaels have made their name on a quick pressure and spirited defense that has allowed 59.0 points per game during the early stretch of the season. The Gaels have allowed just two opponents (Navy - 73 and Duquesne - 61) to reach the 60 point plateau this season. Opponents are turning the ball over 15.4 times per game. On the offensive side, Alexis Lewis is the team's leading scorer and enters Sunday's game reaching 20 or more points in four-straight games. Of course, the offense is still run through the MAAC Preseason Player of the Year Marina Lizarazu who averages 14.4 points compared to Lewis' 20.1. Lizarazu also averaged 4.4 assists per outing.
UP NEXT: The Stags will return to the city of Albany, N.Y., for the second time in a week when they take on the Albany Great Danes on Tuesday at 7pm.
