LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 12th-seeded Fairfield University Women's Basketball team will begin their NCAA Tournament stay by taking on fifth-seeded Kansas State in the First Round on Friday at 2:30pm. The two-time defending MAAC Champions will compete in their seventh NCAA Tournament contest in program history and the first time on a neutral court.
The Stags are coming off a historic offensive showing under the season's brightest lights as they set a MAAC Tournament record with 15 3-pointers in a dominating win over Quinnipiac to claim the conference championship crown.
Meghan Andersen was one of the Stags at the forefront of that historic shooting performance as the sophomore erupted for 27-points on six 3-pointers en-route to being named the MAAC Championship MVP.
Along with Andersen's outing,
Sydni Scott had one of the most legendary shooting games in tournament history by going a perfect 6-for-6 from behind the arc, setting the single-game record in MAAC Championship history. The duo each hit six triples in the win, marking the most ever in a MAAC Championship Final.
Andersen raised her career total to 981 career points and is 19 shy of becoming the 35th Stag in program history to reach 1000 career points. Going into her 66th career game, she would be the second-fastest Stag ever to reach the plateau behind only Katrina Fields who needed 60 games.
Fairfield will be the number 12 seed in the tournament, tying for the second-lowest seed in program history. This is the third time the Stags have drawn the 12-seed and was also the 10-seed in the 1988 tournament.
The Stags have made 285 3-pointers and are averaging 8.9 per game; leading the MAAC and ranking 17th in the country. Fairfield is seven 3-pointers shy of tying the program's single season mark which was set last season.
Fairfield ranks as one of the top offensive teams in the MAAC, leading the league in: scoring offense (72.8), assists (17.7), field goal percentage (.464), and 3-pointers per game (8.9).
The Stags also averaged 25.8 bench points per game, ranking in the top-25 in the country.
Kansas State will bring a 26-7 overall record into the tournament after finishing fourth in the Big 12. The Wildcats had a trio of double-figure scorers led by All-American Yokie Lee.
Fairfield will be looking for the tenth MAAC win in the NCAA Tournament in conference history and to advance to the NCAA Tournament Second Round on Sunday against the winner of No. 4 Kentucky and No. 13 Liberty.
