The Fairfield University women's basketball team needed a clutch three-pointer from senior Sabra Wrice with 3.2 seconds remaining in the game, but earned its first 20-win season since 2000-01 with a 59-58 victory over Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) foe Manhattan College on Wednesday night.  The win moves the Stags to 20-8 on the year and 10-7 in league play, while the Jaspers fall to 14-14 overall and 9-8 in MAAC play.

Fairfield built an nine-point lead, 46-37, with 7:56 to play in the contest.  The Jaspers answered with a 16-5 run.  In that run, Manhattan forced the first tie of the game, 51-51, with 3:51 to play in the game, and took its first lead of the contest, 53-51, 50 seconds later.  The teams exchanged the lead at that point and Baendu Lowenthal made 1-2 at the free throw line with 2:29 to play, and Lauren Groom scored a fast break lay-up, from Lowenthal, with 1:56 left, for the 54-53 advantage.

The Jaspers got a three-pointer from Nicole Harrison with 2:31 remaining to go ahead once again, 56-54.  Groom knotted the score at 56-56 with 78 seconds to play in the game.  The Jaspers took their last lead on a Caitlin Flood field goal with 54.2 seconds to play, 58-56.  Flood went to the line with :14 left, and missed the front end of the 1-and-1.  Shireyll Moore pulled in the rebound, which led to Wrice's game-winning three-pointer.

Saint Peter's dropped a 70-57 decision at home on Wednesday night, which puts the Stags into a tie for third place in the MAAC with the Peahens with one-game to play in the regular season.

Three Stags scored 14 points in the win; Lowenthal, Groom and Wrice.  Megan Caskin and Lowenthal each picked up five rebounds, to lead the team.  Wrice had four assists in the game.

The Stags built a 20-12 lead on a pair of Wrice free throws at the 8:42 mark of the first half.  Manhattan's Caitlin Flood scored 12 consecutive points, which Wrice answered with five more of her own, but the Stags lead was cut to 25-24 with 3:52 to play in the half.  Lauren Groom made a field goal with 1:40 left in the half, and the Stags took a 27-26 lead into the locker room.

Stephanie Geehan made her first appearance at the 15:48 mark, after missing nine games.  She would finish with two points, five rebounds and two steals in 12 minutes of play.

The Stags return to action on Saturday, March 1, in the regular season finale at Loyola.  Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.