FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After defeating five Division I conferences during their non-league slate, the Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will try for a win against their most important conference, as they open up MAAC play against Mount St. Mary's at the Leo D. Mahoney Arena on Saturday at 2pm. Fairfield enters the weekend on a five-game winning streak and a 7-1 overall record, marking their best eight-game start in 40 years.
 
The Stags currently lead the MAAC in 12 different categories and almost every offensive statistic. Most notably, the Stags are tops in the MAAC with a 78.2 points per game scoring average, which ranks in the top-50 in the nation and third among all teams located in the Northeast.
 
Fairfield has found that offensive success with a highly accurate shooting percentage, currently with a .493 field goal mark, placed 12th in the nation. That number would be the fourth-highest percentage in MAAC history and the highest by any MAAC school since Holy Cross shot .501 in 1987.
 
With their high field goal percentage, the Stags have found success both behind and inside the 3-point arc. Fairfield leads the MAAC and ranks 11th nationally with 9.5 made 3-pointers per game, which would be the most by a team in MAAC history.
 
On the defensive side, the Stags' pesky and tough defense has forced opponents to shoot just 34 percent from the floor, ranking in the top-20 in Division I. That number is currently the lowest of any Fairfield single season with the current mark of .359 set during the 1996-97 season.
 
Fairfield also leads the MAAC with a .253 3-point field goal percentage defense and trails only Manhattan allowing 57.0 points per game.
 
All that success has been noticed nationally as Fairfield entered the College Insider Mid-Major Top-25 rankings for the first time this season, slotting at No. 23 nationally. It is the first time Fairfield has entered the poll since their championship season two years ago.
 
Mount St. Mary's enters the league opener with a 3-5 overall record. Sharpshooter Jo Rafflo is the team's leading scorer with 12.0 points per game.
 
All-time Fairfield is 29-11 in MAAC openers, and 1-0 under current Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis.