Lehigh at Fairfield
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (Interstat) — Meghan Andersen scored 30 points to lead a dominant offensive performance as the Fairfield Stags remained undefeated with an 88-60 victory over the Lehigh Mountain Hawks in a non-conference women’s basketball game Saturday at Webster Bank Arena.
The Stags improved to 2-0, while Lehigh evened its record at 1-1.
Fairfield seized control from the opening tip, outscoring Lehigh 24-17 in the first quarter and 23-16 in the second to take a commanding 47-33 lead into halftime. The Stags’ offensive onslaught continued after the break, extending their lead with a 25-point third quarter.
Andersen, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Wantagh, New York, was efficient and prolific, adding six rebounds, three assists and two blocks in just 26 minutes of action. She was complemented by Kaety L’Amoreaux, who tallied 16 points, five rebounds and four assists. Cyanne Coe just missed a double-double with 10 points and eight rebounds.
The Stags’ offense was a model of efficiency, posting an offensive rating of 124.5 points per 100 possessions. They shot 45 percent from the floor and were particularly effective from beyond the arc, connecting on 14 of 37 three-point attempts. Defensively, Fairfield forced 16 Lehigh turnovers, converting them into 29 points, and outscored the Mountain Hawks 36-24 in the paint.
Lehigh was led by Jessie Ozzauto, who scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Gracyn Lovette and Leia Edwards each added eight points for the Mountain Hawks, who struggled to find an offensive rhythm against the Stags’ pressure.
Lehigh shot just 33 percent from the field and 22 percent from three-point range. Despite going 21 for 24 from the free-throw line, the Mountain Hawks could not keep pace with Fairfield’s high-powered attack, which saw eight different players score.
A crowd of 1,533 watched as Fairfield never trailed, building on the momentum from its season-opening road win at Villanova. Lehigh, coming off a narrow road victory at Cincinnati, will look to rebound in its home opener.
According to Interstat’s ELO system, Fairfield was projected with an 86.80 percent probability to win.
Fairfield’s next game is Thursday against South Florida in Las Vegas. Lehigh returns to action Tuesday at home against La Salle.