FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Coming off their best defensive effort of the season, the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will host the Siena Saints on Thursday night at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena at 7pm. The game will open up a stretch where the Stags will host three of their final four games in January.
 
Fairfield's defense stifled the Marist Red Foxes holding their opponent to season-lows in: points (34), points in a half (11), field goal percentage (.256), and 3-point field goal percentage (.077). The Stags limited Marist to single digits in every quarter but would not hold the lead for good until the 6:53 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
Callie Cavanaugh started a decisive 7-0 run as she tied the game with a field goal and then gave the Stags the lead with a pair of free throws. She would later receiver a full court pass from Izabela Nicoletti Leite and converted the fastbreak layup to extend the lead to four.
 
In total, the Stags would score 13 of the final 15 points of the game as Janelle Brown iced the game by hitting three of four free throw attempts following a technical foul. Brown would net a game-high 18 points, her sixth-straight game in double figures. That six-game stretch is the longest of Brown's career and she is averaging 15.7 points during the stretch and has led the team in scoring three times.
 
Fairfield's defensive intensity was also shown as they dominated the glass by tying a season-high 50 rebounds and out-rebounding Marist by a 50-33 margin. Nicoletti Leite led the squad with a career-high 12 rebounds and was followed by Lauren Beach who also grabbed a personal-best 10 rebounds.
 
The 43 points is tied for the third fewest scored in a win in Fairfield history. The Stags netted 40 points in a 40-39 victory at Monmouth during the 2019-20 season and also tallied 42 against Stony Brook in the season opener of the 2011-12 campaign.
 
Siena has won two of their last three games since defeating Fairfield at the UHY Center earlier in the month. Anajah Brown is still the team's leading scorer at 10.9 points per game and also leads the squad with 7.6 rebounds per contest. Teresa Seppala is the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week after netting a career-high 24 points against Saint Peter's.
 
The Stags will head to Lawrenceville, N.J., for their final road game in the month of January when they take on Rider on Saturday at 2pm.