The Fairfield University women's basketball team improved to 5-0 on the year, defeating North Dakota State University, 70-53, in the second game of the Cal-Poly Holiday Beach Classic at Cal-Poly in San Luis Obispo, Calif.  With the win the Stags will at least share the tournament title, with three games remaining.

The Bison made a frantic run over the first 10 minutes of the second half, closing the gap to 44-42 with 9:43 to play in the game.  Sabra Wrice, however, took over the game at that point, scoring all 20 of her second half points in the final 9:43 of the game, leading the Stags to a 26-11 run to pull away for the win

Wrice finished with a game-high 28 points, shooting 11-21 from the field, and hitting 4-8 from behind the arc.  Stephanie Geehan played just 27 minutes in the game, but finished with her second double-double of the season, scoring 10 points and hauling in 13 rebounds.  Also in double-figures was Lauren Groom, who had 11 points, including hitting her first four shots of the game, in her first double-digit effort of the year.

Fairfield once again started quickly against the Bison.  After falling behind 2-0 on the first possession, the Stags mounted a 10-0 run, to take a 10-2 lead at the 16:26 mark of the first half.  Baendu Lowenthal and Geehan both had four points in the run.  The Bison answered however, tying the game at 10-10 at the 13:13 mark.

The Stags then rattled off a 17-3 run, including a 5-0 run in the stretch.  Groom, who scored the Stags first basket, went 4-4 in the first half, scoring nine points. The Stags expanded the lead to as much as 22 points, 38-16, with 2:36 remaining in the half.  NDSU scored eight unanswered points to cut Stags lead to 38-24 at the intermission.

Megan Caskin had five rebounds, five assists and a steal in 35 minutes of action.  Stephanie Cziria finished with six points, four boards, three blocked shots and two assists, in 20 minutes of action.

The Stags return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 28 when they travel to Villanova for a 7 p.m. contest.