Box Score

NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – Despite outscoring its opponent in the second half, the Niagara Purple Eagle women’s basketball team fell to the Fairfield Stags 56-50 in the Gallagher Center on Friday.
 
After struggling through the first half, Niagara (10-17, 7-8 MAAC) found itself down 24-13 to Fairfield (19-7, 12-3 MAAC) coming out of halftime but would chip away at the deficit immediately.
 
“We got away from who we are in the first half,” head coach Kendra Faustin said.  “They’re a really good team and I thought in the first half we got involved in taking quick shots and not moving the basketball.  We didn’t rebound particularly well, so I was disappointed in those things."  
 
Six different players would score for Niagara to cut the deficit to 35-26 by the 12:29 mark of the half.  A Shy Britton layup would bring the Purple Eagles within two, with less than four minutes left on the clock. 
 
The Stags again made it a multiple-possession game until a three-pointer by Ali Morris, who scored 10 of Niagara’s final 16 points, cut the lead to 53-50 with 30 seconds left in regulation.  The late charge would not be enough as Fairfield hit three-of-six free throws to come away with a 56-50 victory.
 
Both teams struggled early in the game but Fairfield was able to come together late in the half and went 11-for-23 from the floor while Niagara was kept to 17.9 percent from the field. 
 
Morris led the team with 12 points on the night while Lauren Gatto recorded the first double-double of the season for the Purple Eagles.  The sophomore had a game-high 10 rebounds and added another 11 points.  Niagara outrebounded Fairfield 40-33, including a 23-15 edge in the second half.

"I really liked the team in the second half," Faustin said. "That was inspiring to me that we can play at that level with a top team in our conference.”
 
The Purple Eagles are back in action on Sunday for their Think Pink game against the Marist Red Foxes.  Tipoff is at 2 pm in the Gallagher Center.