No. 25 Fairfield sets MAAC record with 28 wins in row

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Janelle Brown scored 19 points, Meghan Andersen added 16 as the Stags beat the Golden Griffins on Friday of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament.

Fairfield (30-1) advances to the championship game for the second time in the last three seasons, and 12th overall, for a chance at the program’s fifth MAAC title. Canisius (17-14) was in the semifinals for the first time since 2009.

Fairfield also extended its winning streak to 28 straight games, passing the 2009-10 Marist squad for the longest in conference history.

Andersen made a 3-pointer with 8:53 left in the second quarter to give Fairfield a double-digit lead, 23-11, for good. The Stags led 40-24 at the break and extended it to a 22-point lead in the third quarter.

Emina Selimovic had 11 points and 12 rebounds for Fairfield. Kendall McGruder added 11 points and Nicole Gallagher scored 10.

The Stags went 11 of 27 from 3-point range and just 16 of 24 at the free-throw line.

Maine 64, Vermont 48

ORONO, Maine – Adrianna Smith scored 10 of her 16 points in the first half, Anne Simon added 15 points and No. 1 seed Maine beat No. 3 seed Vermont to win the America East Tournament championship for the first time since 2019.

Maine (24-9) claimed its 10th conference championship in its 23rd appearance in the America East title game.

Vermont (22-11) was seeking to win back-to-back America East championships for the first time since 2010.

Sarah Talon made a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and give Maine a 14-point lead, but Andjela Matic answered with a 3 at the other end just before the halftime buzzer to pull Vermont within 3425. Both teams shot 45.5% from the field in the first half, but Maine made four 3pointers and outrebounded Vermont 20-13.

Vermont was held to just eight points in the third quarter, going 2 of 13 from the field as Maine built a 51-33 lead.

The Catamounts finished 18-of-48 shooting (38%), including 1 of 9 from distance.