ALBANY, N.Y. – Give the Fairfield University women's basketball team credit. The team could have quit after a first half that saw them shoot just 16 percent (4-for-25) and score 14 points. But the team didn't. They dug deep, went on a 12-0 run to get back in the game, but the rally fell short. Five-time defending America East champions UAlbany was able to extend their lead in the fourth and the Stags fell 59-45 to the Great Danes at the SEFCU Arena.
UAlbany (4-5) set the tone five seconds into the game when the Great Danes won the tip and immediately rifled a pass up the court to Bose Aiyalogbe. Her layup would be blocked by Kelsey Carey, but that was really the only misstep for the Great Danes during the first five minutes as Albany scored the first 13 points of the game and did not allow a Fairfield field goal until Samantha Cooper nailed a layup at the 4:50 mark of the first quarter.
The Fairfield (4-5) defense started to play their game after the quick 13-0 run by the home side. The Stags forced nine UAlbany turnovers during the final seven minutes of the quarter as the Great Danes did not score a field goal during that span. However, the Fairfield offense did not fare any better. Cooper's layup was the only field goal for the Stags during the first quarter and Fairfield only managed two Kendra Landy free throws for their only points after Cooper's layup. The Stags shot just 1-for-12 in the opening quarter while the Great Danes misfired on six of their final seven shots. In total, there were 15 turnovers in the first 10 minutes, nine by UAlbany.
The next field goal would not be scored until the 8:17 mark of the second quarter when Carey brought the Stags within seven with a layup. That field goal was the first by either side for nearly six minutes of game play. Cooper would score again on the next possession, giving the Stags three-straight field goals in the game which spanned six minutes. UAlbany got back on the board when Khepera Stokes got the friendly role three minutes into the second quarter, breaking a 10 minute drought without a field goal.
The Stags could still not find their shooting touch after that Cooper shot as the team shot 3-for-13 in the second quarter. The final of those field goals came with 12 seconds left in the frame as Landy hit a jumper, snapping a seven minute drought without a field goal for the Stags. In total, the Stags shot 4-for-25 in the first half with 12 turnovers.
The Great Danes also struggled out of the gate in the second quarter by hitting just one of their first nine shots, but got hot to end the half by nailing four of their final five attempts to extend their halftime lead to 28-14.
The Stags had at least one big run in them and it started with a clutch shot from the freshman Sam Kramer. The guard nailed the first 3-pointer for the Stags in the game and was followed by a three point play by Carey and another long range shot by Cooper. The Stags finished that run with two Carey free throws. That 12-0 run cut the Fairfield deficit to 38-35 with 39 seconds left in the third quarter. Before that stretch, the Stags had been 0-for-11 from deep.
That was the closest the Stags would get as Mackenzie Trpcic hit a 3-pointer to begin the fourth quarter to open up a 43-36 lead.
In the game, there were 38 turnovers, with the Stags recording a season-high 19. Cooper led all players with 13 rebounds, including the 500th of her career. Cooper's contributions stretched far more than the statistics show as she was the only physical presence on the court. The redshirt junior notched her 11th career double-double and finished with 13 points.
Carey also entered double figures for the ninth-straight game which extended the longest streak for a Stag to begin a season since Stephanie Geehan reached double figures in the first 11 games on the 2009-10 season. Carey finished with a team-high 14 points.
Although the box score says just two points for freshman Erika Schlosser, she gave the Stags valuable minutes defensively.
The Stags will continue their five-game road trip when they visit the city of Philadelphia, Pa., to take on La Salle on Saturday at 1pm.
