BRIDGEPORT, Conn. – The biggest game of the year certainly lived up to its billing. Rachel Hakes drew an offensive foul and then sunk the two clinching free throws to give the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team a 59-54 overtime victory over the Quinnipiac Bobcats on Thursday night. The victory was the eighth-straight win for the Stags and clinched at least a share of the regular season title, the fourth in program history and the first since the 2000-01 season.
 
"I think having a sense of purpose and a clear vision of what we want to try an accomplish gives us a level of determination," Head Coach Joe Frager said. "When you win, confidence comes with that. We have immense respect for what Quinnipiac is as a program and the level of talent that they have. We weren't shocked with the way this game was tonight."
 
Neither team led by more than five points after the first quarter, setting up for a dramatic ending. Sam Lewis connected on a huge 3-pointer with 1:29 left in regulation to increase the Fairfield lead to four at 52-48. Quinnipiac would answer with back-to-back buckets tying the game with less than a minute left. The Stags would have two chances to take the late lead but would come up empty.
 
The Bobcats grabbed the first lead of the overtime period on a Mikayla Morris jumper, but that lead was short lived as Lou Lopez-Senechal tied the game with a jumper 14 seconds later.
 
The Stags would hit five of their next six free throws down the stretch to seal the victory. The Stags got most of their big plays on the defensive end, including a block by Callie Cavanaugh on a 3-point shot that could have tied the game with 10 seconds left. Hakes would also draw an offensive foul on the prior possession to set up two more free throw attempts.
 
Fairfield owned the largest lead of the game which was at just seven points as Lewis beat the first quarter buzzer on a 3-pointer to put the score at 20-13.
 
The Stags would actually end the first three quarters on buzzer beating shots with Sydney Lowery hitting a jumper to end halftime and Cavanaugh calmly draining another jumper to end the third quarter.
 
Fairfield would only trail for 1:50 in the contest as Quinnipiac could not regain the lead until the first basket of overtime. The Bobcats opened the second half with a 3-pointer to tie but the Stags would rattle off four-straight points on a Cavanaugh layup and two Hakes free throws.
 
Cavanuagh led the Stags charge with her first double-double of the season and the fifth of her career as she led the team in both points (17) and rebounds (10). Seven of those boards came in pivotal times in the second half.
 
Hakes not only led with tenacity on defense but also set up the offense with a game-high eight assists and also notched 10 points and five rebounds while drawing seven fouls.
 
Andrea Hernangomez joined the trio of Stags in double figures as she had 11. Lopez-Senechal, the MAAC's leading scorer was held in check by the Quinnipiac defense, finishing with just eight points on 4-for-12 shooting.
 
With the win, the Stags clinch at least a share of the MAAC regular season title, the program's fourth overall and the first since the 2000-01 season. The 15-1 league mark is the best for the Stags since the 1990-91 squad finished the season with that same exact mark. Finally, the eight-straight wins ties the most for the Stags in six years.
 
The Stags will need to win just one of their remaining four games, or Quinnipiac needs to drop one of their remaining five to clinch the title outright. Fairfield will get a week off before next taking the court on Thursday, Feb. 24 against Monmouth at Webster Bank Arena at 7pm.