FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will hit the road for the final time in the month of January when they head to Lawrenceville, N.J., to face the Rider Broncs on Saturday at 2pm. The Stags will look to bounce back on the road where they have a 5-3 mark on the road and a 3-1 clip in MAAC games.
Fairfield is coming off a 55-51 overtime loss to Siena where the Saints grabbed the lead with just six seconds left in the overtime period. The Stags also held a lead late in regulation before Siena knotted the score and forced overtime with just nine ticks left on the clock.
The Stags held a 13-point lead, their largest of the game, in the third quarter before Siena tallied a 15-3 stretch to grab the lead and then started the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run.
Callie Cavanaugh and Mackenzie Martin regained the Stags lead with five-straight points and stopped the scoring drought. Cavanaugh would hit a go-ahead field goal at the 2:06 mark of the fourth, but the Stags would not score again in regulation, allowing Siena's late heroics.
Cavanaugh led all players with 23 points, her fifth 20-plus point game of the season. She takes over the MAAC scoring lead and also ranks 65th nationally at 17.2 points per game. She also helped lead Fairfield's defensive effort with a career-high five steals against the Saints.
Janelle Brown also chipped in on the defensive side by leading the team with nine rebounds. She also led the passing attack with a career-high seven assists on just one turnover.
Both teams were playing shorthanded in the game, with the Stags missing two starters and Siena dressing six active players.
Izabela Nicoletti Leite missed her first game of the year while
Andrea Hernangomez missed her third-straight. In their place,
Jocelyn Polansky and Mackenzie Martin logged their first career starts.
The Broncs will enter their home game with a 5-13 record and a 2-7 mark in the conference. Makayla Firebaugh leads the team with a 13.7 scoring average while hitting 40 3-pointers.
The Stags will return home for back-to-back home games starting with a contest against Mount St. Mary's on Thursday night at 7pm.
