Over the last two seasons, the Fairfield Stags have had the Bobcats’ number. At nearly every turn, Quinnipiac just couldn’t figure out a way to get over the hump and take down its in-state rivals.
But on Jan. 29, Quinnipiac defeated Fairfield 72-58, its second-largest margin of victory in the last five years. How? By dismantling one of the best teams in the MAAC in every aspect of the game.
With seeding in the MAAC tournament likely on the line, here is how Quinnipiac will prove its win was not a fluke.
Perimeter Defense
The Fairfield offense has been historic for multiple reasons. The main reason is its lights-out accuracy from beyond the arc. Entering their first matchup versus the Bobcats, the Stags averaged 12 made three-pointers a game. That’s nearly half of their 77 ppg average coming by way of the longball.
Against Quinnipiac, the longball was effectively neutralized, with the Bobcats swarming the Stags every time the ball crossed the three-point line.
The first half saw Fairfield make one singular three-pointer on nine shots. On almost every one of those attempts, a Bobcat was there to cover and contest the shot. In the second half, Fairfield began to crawl back into the game due to crucial conversions on long-ball threes.
“Our defense has been one of the best in the entire nation,” Quinnipiac head coach Tricia Fabbri said.
If Quinnipiac is to take down Fairfield again, it needs to keep the long-ball out of the offensive picture.
Stop Katey L’Amoreaux
The Stags have beaten their opponents by an average of 17.4 points during the 2025-26 season. Eleven of those wins have come by more than twenty points. The key to such a successful attack? Run their offensive strategy through junior guard Kaety L’Amoreaux.
The Endwell, N.Y. native is averaging 19.4 points per game, being the leading scorer in 11 of the Stags’ 18 wins. How does she do it? By utilizing her speed and timing to be open in the right spots at the right time and knocking down shots.
In the first meeting between the Stags and Bobcats, graduate student guard Jackie Grisdale and the rest of the Quinnipiac defense shut L’Amoreaux down by not leaving her side.
Without her ability to get open, L’Amoreaux’s impact was neutralized. Quinnipiac needs to do this again if it’s going to take down the Stags once more.
Spread The Scoring
This season, the Bobcats have found their offensive identity all over the hardwood. Backcourt guards, such as Grisdale, freshman Ella Ryan and junior Karson Martin, have been nothing short of electric from range, netting 118 of 174 total Bobcat longballs.
On the other side of the court are forwards junior Anna Foley and senior Ella O’Donnell. Time in and time out, the two use their size to control the post and get to the rim quickly.
This offensive philosophy is perfectly captured in the Bobcats’ two leading scorers against Fairfield: Martin and O’Donnell.
In the first half of the contest, O’Donnell dominated the paint to the tune of 12 points and four rebounds. But like the championship team they are, the Stags began to find ways to lessen her offensive prowess.
With O’Donnell taken out of the picture on offense, Martin stepped up by doing what she does best: knocking down threes. Two crucial three-pointers shifted momentum in favor of the Bobcats, leading to Quinnipiac’s inevitable victory over the Stags.
It’s this kind of “next woman up” mentality that has gotten Quinnipiac to the top of the MAAC.
Play A Full Four Quarters
Early in the season, Quinnipiac had a habit of playing three quarters of a game really well, but falling apart in the last 10 minutes.
In their home opener against the St. John’s Red Storm, the Bobcats played a championship-level three quarters. But in the final five minutes, they collapsed, allowing the Red Storm to mount a comeback and win by four points.
“A tough game to lose when we had it in control,” Fabbri said on Nov. 11 after the team’s loss to St. John’s.
Two weeks later, against the College of Charleston Cougars, Quinnipiac would lose the game in near identical fashion. Playing a complete three quarters, but dropping the final 10 and losing the game as a result.
But as the team entered conference play, it grew consistent, showing up for a full 40 minutes against the Stags.
Despite momentum swinging to Fairfield multiple times over the course of the contest, Quinnipiac stayed calm, holding its lead for all four quarters.
“We kept saying ‘we’re good,” Martin said. “We’ve prepared for this.”
If Quinnipiac is to make noise in Atlantic City, it needs to play a complete game.
Quinnipiac will play it’s second and final matchup of the regular season against Fairfield on Saturday, Feb. 14. Tip-off from Hamden is scheduled for 4 p.m.
