FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will travel to New Rochelle, N.Y., to take on the Iona Gaels in a Thursday matinee beginning at 11am. The action from the Hynes Athletic Center will be streamed live on ESPN3.
 
The Stags are coming off a gritty 55-52 victory over Manhattan at Alumni Hall. Fairfield got off to their hottest start of the year, scoring 20 first quarter points after starting the game on a 16-4 run. The Stags would keep that lead until the closing minute of the third quarter when Manhattan was able to even the game. Fairfield would take the lead for good on a Khadidiatou Diouf layup with 2:01 left.
 
The gritty defense is what kept the Stags in front as Fairfield recorded nine steals in the contest. Macey Hollenshead led the team with three swipes, tying her season-high. Diouf also was a presence in the paint as she helped limit Manhattan's leading scorer Kayla Grimme to 12 points. Diouf also drew three charges in the contest, a season-high for the Stags.
 
Samantha Cooper kept her lead in the conference in rebounding despite hauling in just three boards against the Jaspers, her fewest since Feb. 26, 2016. Casey Foley instead picked up the boards for the Stags finishing with a team high seven rebounds and also dished out a game-high seven assists.
 
Cooper has now hauled in 920 boards during her Fairfield career and is now just 10 shy of tying Robin Massari for fifth in program history in career rebounds. With her game-high 19 points, she also moves into 22nd in school history in career points.
 
The Gaels will enter the contest with a 1-22 overall record, including a 1-11 mark in league play. Iona's lone win came against Saint Peter's on January 28. Last season's All-MAAC First Team honoree Alexis Lewis is the team's leading scorer with 13.7 points per game and also leads the team in rebounding with 8.3 boards per contest. She is also the team's long range threat, leading the Gaels with 45 3-pointers this season.
 
The Gaels enter play 11th in the MAAC in both scoring offense (53.2) and scoring defense (68.2). Iona has three players to average more than 5.0 PPG with Lewis (13.7), eight-time MAAC Rookie of the Week Toyosi Abiola (12.5), and Treyanna Clay (10.0).
 
Fairfield will next travel to Manhattan for a Saturday afternoon contest against the Jaspers at 3pm.