The Fairfield University women's basketball team concluded its three-game pre-Christmas homestand with a 65-51 win over visiting St. Francis-NY.  The win improves the Stags record to 8-3, while the Terriers fall to 3-8. 

Fairfield trailed by one-point, 22-21 with 5:44 to play in the first half.  Baendu Lowenthal gave the stags the lead 82 seconds later, kick starting and 11-2 run to end the first half of play, with a 32-24 advantage. 

The Stags opened the second half with a 6-0 run, expanding an eight-point halftime lead to 38-24.  The Stags held the Terriers scoreless for the first 2:28 of the half, forcing a pair of turnovers in the span.  The run continued as the Stags opened a 20-point advantage, 50-30, the largest lead of the game, with 11:49 to play.

The Terriers would cut into the Stags lead, getting as close as 11 points, 54-43, with 6:56 to play, but could not get the deficit into single-digits. 

Fairfield's defense was the story in the second half, as the Stags held the Terriers to 9-23 from the field in the period, and allowing 2-8 from behind the arc three-pointers.  The Stags also forced 22 Terrier turnovers in the game, 14 in the first half.

Lowenthal finished the game just shy of a double-double, with 24 points and nine rebounds.  Sabra Wrice was the other Stag in double-figures, with 12 points.  Stephanie Geehan had six points and five boards, in 15 minutes, while Megan Caskin added three points, seven assists and four rebounds.

The Stags shot 50 percent from the field for the game, going 27-54 for the game, including 14-26 in the second half.  Fairfield had 16 assists on 27 made field goals and were 9-14 from the free throw line.

The Terriers were led by the 15 points and eight rebounds of Linda Warrington.  Katja Bavendam scored 13 points, as did Tiffany Hill.  St. Francis shot 40 percent from the field for the game.

The first nine minutes of the game saw two ties and three lead changes, and the Terriers leading 15-14 with 11:05 left in the half.  Meka Werts drained a three-pointer to put the Stags back ahead 17-15 (10:03) and start a 7-0 Fairfield run, for a 21-15 advantage with 8:06 left in the half.  The Terriers answered that with a run of their own, scoring seven straight over the next 1:45 to retake the lead, 22-21. 

The Stags dominated the final 4:22 of the first half, scoring 11 of the last 13 points of the half, turning a one-point deficit (22-21) into a 32-24 halftime lead.  The Stags scored 11 straight points after falling behind at the 5:44 mark.  Lowenthal had a field goal and a pair of free throws in the run, as she finished the first half with a game-best 12 points.

The Stags will return to action a week from today at the Fordham Holiday Tournament.  Fairfield will take on Troy in the first round, Saturday at 3 p.m., and will face either the host Rams or Mount St. Mary's on Sunday at either 1 or 3 p.m.