Box Score

FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Khristin Lee led all players in both scoring and rebounding, pouring in 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds for her first double-double as an Explorer, but it was not quite enough in a 64-59 setback at Fairfield on Monday night.

Lee also added a game-high four steals and team-best five assists in the effort for La Salle (1-3). Alicia Cropper added 13, and rookie Jasmine Alston came up with nine points, five rebounds, three steals and no turnovers.

Fairfield (3-2) placed three players in double figures, led by Kristin Schatzlein's 15 points. Katie Cizynski and Brittany Obi-Tabot added 14 apiece.

The second half was once again the story of the game for the Explorers, who drained 42 of their 59 points after the break including 15 of Lee's points.

Fairfield jumped out to a 21-9 lead in the first half, thanks to a 17-2 run which included keeping the Explorers scoreless for nearly seven minutes. The Stags pushed the lead to as many as 17 at 32-15 (1:37) before a Jasmine Alston layup before the break put the score at 32-17.

Micahya Owens opened scoring in the second half by draining a trey, sparking a 12-5 run to bring the Explorers within single digits at 37-29 with 15:09 on the clock. The Stags maintained a near-10 point lead for the next three minutes, going up 44-34 on a Schatzlein freebie at 12:26.

The Explorer offense turned it up after that with Owens hitting a layup at 12:12 to spark a 14-4 run over the next 6:36 to erase Fairfield's lead and knot the score at 48-48. The Stags responded with a decisive 10-0 run over the next three minutes to regain a double-digit lead, capped by two made Stag free throws to push the score to 58-48.

Lee stopped the run with an offensive rebound and converted layup in the paint. Following another Stag free throw, the Explorers mounted a 7-0 run. Lee made the first of two free throws, and Alston picked up the offensive board on the missed second free throw. She converted a short layup in the paint and was fouled on the play. She made the freebie to finish the three-point play to bring the Explorers back within five at 59-54 with 1:42 remaining.

Alston then picked up a huge steal, feeding the ball to Lee who drained a long three to cut the deficit back to two with 1:24 left.

Four Stag free throws down the stretch made the difference, pushing the home team's lead back to six with eight seconds on the clock. Lee snagged one more bucket with three seconds on the clock to put the score at 63-59 and fouled Fairfield's Christelle Akon-Akech on the inbound. Akon-Akech made one free throw for the final 64-59 tally.

La Salle shot just 25.9 percent (7-27) in the first half, but turned it up to shoot 48.4 percent (15-31) in the second half and finish with a 37.9 percent clip. The Explorers went just 23.5 percent (4-17) from long range. Fairfield shot 42.1 percent for the game after the Explorers limited the squad to just 33.3 percent in the second half.

The Explorers forced the Stags into 16 turnovers to just 12 for the Blue & Gold and recorded 10 steals to just three for the Stags. Fairfield won the glass, 39-36.

The Explorers return to action on Saturday (11/30) when they host Central Connecticut at 1 p.m. at Tom Gola Arena.