ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – The 25th-ranked Fairfield University Women's Basketball team earned a spot in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship Game as they regained their shooting touch in a 77-64 victory over fifth-seeded Canisius on Friday. The Stags drilled 11 3-pointers and had five different players in double-figures. Janelle Brown led the scoring output with 19 points while Emina Selimovic recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.
 
With the win, the Stags earned their 30th victory of the season and improve their overall record to an astonishing 30-1, the second-highest winning percentage in the country. Fairfield also extends their winning streak to 28-straight, setting a new MAAC record. Most importantly, the victory clinches a spot in the MAAC Finals for the 12th time in program history and puts them a step closer to their fifth MAAC Championship.
 
"I love how we set the tone to start the game today," Head Coach Carly Thibault-DuDonis said. "I thought our defense really spurred our offense. I think our defensive pressure got them on their heels and it gave us some confidence to see the ball go in early. We also imposed our will on the boards both on the offensive and defensive boards."
 
The #25 Stags regained their familiar shooting prowess right from the opening quarter, connecting on four of their nine attempts from behind the 3-point line. Kendall McGruder led the way swishing through both of her attempts while Brown went 3-for-4 from the floor. That success helped the Stags build a 18-9 first quarter lead, an advantage they would not relinquish.
 
Fairfield would increase that lead to 17 as they went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter, capped off by a Selimovic second chance bucket.
 
Going against the MAAC's leading rebounder in Sisi Eleko, the Stags controlled the boards out-rebounding the Griffs 45-27 while grabbing 19 offensive boards. Selimovic corralled six of those offensive boards while Mackenzie Daleba tallied four. Six different players grabbed an offensive rebound and the Stags converted those chances to 17 points.
 
The Stags would run that lead to as many as 23 on a Selimovic 3-pointer. In total, the Stags shot 41 percent from deep, going 11-for-27. It is the 20th time this season they have reached the 70-point threshold.
 
Meghan Andersen would tally 16 points, going 6-for-10 from the floor and hitting three 3-pointers. The scoring output puts her season total at 479, breaking the program's all-time rookie scoring record originally set by Katrina Fields in 1982, the program's first-ever Division I season.
 
Nicole Gallagher also put in quality minutes for the Stags, finishing with 10 points on 2-for-3 shooting from long-range.
 
Selimovic's 12 rebounds set a new career-high and is the fourth time in her career she has grabbed double-figure rebounds. Defensively, she also held the MAAC leading scorer and rebounder, Eleko to just four points and five rebounds.
 
The #25 Stags are now just one win away from their ultimate goal in hoisting the MAAC Tournament trophy. They will play the winner of No. 2 Niagara and No. 3 Siena on Saturday at 3:30pm on ESPNU.