BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The Niagara women's basketball team earned its first MAAC win of the season with a 52-49 win over the Fairfield Stags on Saturday afternoon.

 

"It was a team effort (today)," head coach Kendra Faustin said. "(We) made free throws, took care of the ball and got it done on the defensive end. We did all the little things tonight."

 

Niagara (4-12, 1-4 MAAC) led the entire second half, despite a late run by Fairfield (8-8, 2-3 MAAC) who cut the lead to one point with 23 seconds left in the game. The Purple Eagles closed the first half on a 7-2 run to take a 32-27 halftime lead.

 

NU increased its lead to 42-32 with 12:57 remaining for its largest lead of the game. Fairfield began to chip away at the lead and twice cut it to a two point deficit. However, Liz Flooks (White Planis, N.Y.) bailed out Niagara with timely shots. She drained a 3-pointer to give NU a 46-41 lead with five minutes left and then made a fade away jumper to extend NU's lead to 50-46 with 1:25 remaining.

 

Fairfield's Desiree Pina hit a 3-pointer to bring Fairfield within 50-49 with 23 seconds left. After Niagara missed a front end of a 1-and-1, the Stags turnover the ball with 18 seconds remaining.

 

Flooks was fouled on the en suing possession and calmly nailed two free throws to seal the game. NU's defense kept Fairfield from getting off a final shot. Flooks led the team with 14 points and shot 50 percent (2-for-4) from behind the 3-point line. Freshman Kayla Stroman (Syracuse, N.Y.) finished with 10 points and five assists.

 

"Kayla really stepped up on offense and Liz finished the game with cluth free throws," Faustin stated.

 

The Purple Eagles snapped their six-game losing streak versus the Stags and won their first game at Fairfield since Feb. 21, 2003.

 

Niagara continues its road trip with a Monday night game versus Rider at 7 p.m.