Box Score BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team concluded play in the 2017 Christmas City Classic with a 71-61 loss to the America East preseason favorite New Hampshire on the campus of Lehigh University. Khadidiatou Diouf led the Stags with a career-high 19 points while Samantha Cooper finished with nine points and nine rebounds.
 
After Diouf scored the first basket of the game for the Stags (1-5), the squad would not lead again in the contest after New Hampshire (4-2) went on a 10-0 run. That stretch would force the first Fairfield timeout. The Stags would cut into that deficit a bit after the timeout, trailing 18-11 at the end of the first quarter. Four different Stags entered the scoring column with Diouf leading the bunch, scoring the team's first four points.
 
The second quarter was better offensively for the Stags, hitting 50 percent (5-for-10) of their shots, but New Hampshire was just as good. The Stags would get as close as six points on a Diouf free throw, but a pair of 3-pointers by Aliza Simpson extended the Wildcats lead.
 
The Stags played more aggressive defense in the second quarter, but that led to some trouble. The Stags were called for 11 fouls in the first half, and the Wildcats capitalized by hitting 13 of their 14 shots from the charity stripe.
 
Fairfield found the net better in the second half and hit their first three shots to open the period. That mini-run was able to cut the Fairfield deficit to 13 at 42-29. However, the Wildcats converted their opportunities as well. The reigning America East Player of the Year Carlie Pogue scored New Hampshire's first six points and the Wildcats were able to extend that advantage to 57-38 entering the final period.
 
The Stags had one final push as they went on a 13-5 run to start the fourth quarter, which brought the Fairfield deficit to 11 at 62-51. The run was started by a 3-pointer by Sam Lewis and was highlighted by three baskets coming from Kendra Landy. The junior would have a perfect shooting night, hitting all five of her shot attempts and finished with a season-high 10 points.
 
The 11 points would be the closest the Stags would get until the final seconds as former Marist forward Kat Fogarty scored back-to-back baskets and drew a charge to bring the Wildcats lead back to a manageable advantage.
 
Even with that lead, the Stags never gave up. After the best game of her career last night, Erika Schlosser finished this contest with four-straight points including a 3-pointer with four seconds left for the final margin.
 
For the game, Diouf and Landy were the two Stags in double figures. Cooper led the Stags in rebounding for the 59th time in her career with nine boards. Landy led the team with five assists.
 
Another former Marist player Brittni Lai led the Wildcats with six assists while Pogue led four players in double figures with 17.
 
The Stags will return home to play UMass Lowell on Wednesday night at 7pm.