After spending the last month with five games on the road, the Fairfield University women’s basketball team (game notes) returns home to host Rider University on Friday night.  The Stags earned their first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) win of the year in their last outing, defeating Niagara 81-65 on Saturday.  The win was the 200th of coach Joe Frager’s collegiate career.

Fairfield and Rider are meeting for the 24th time since the first meeting, Dec. 4, 1988, a 73-62 victory.  The Stags hold a 20-3 record in the all-time series, including an 11-0 record at home.  Fairfield won both meetings last season and four of the last five contests.  The Stags are 6-0 against the Broncs at Alumni Hall.

Rider won its first meeting in Feb. 5, 2000, 89-80, before Fairfield rattled off its longest win streak of the series, capturing the next 11 contests.  The Broncs won at home again on Jan. 10, 2005 and Jan. 29, 2006, with the Stags winning a pair of games after each Bronc victory.

Sabra Wrice continues to be the Stags offensive leader, averaging a team-best 16.9 points, which is good for fourth in the league.  In the at Niagara she scored 23 points, her sixth 20+ scoring effort of the year, and ran her streak of scoring 11 or more points to 10 straight games.

Megan Caskin dished out a career-high 10 assists in the win at Niagara, bringing her season total to 70, third in the league.  The double-digit assist total is the first since Janele McManus achieved the feat with 10 in an overtime win at Niagara on Jan. 14, 2005.

Today’s game, like all Fairfield home men’s and women’s basketball games can be watched live via the B2 Networks.  Fans can purchase a single-game viewership, or a season pass, by logging on to www.fairfieldstags.com/multimedia.  The play-by-play is provided by the Stags radio voices; John Cummings and Maria Conlon.

The Stags are back in action at Alumni Hall on Sunday at 1  p.m. when they host Loyola College.  The first 500 fans will receive a free Stags water bottle.