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High Post Hoops staff selects NCAA tournament players to watch

By High Post Hoops Staff

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 of the Princeton Tigers smiles after a basket drops for the Tigers during the first quarter at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton defeated Penn 63-34. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Bella Alarie #31 of the Princeton Tigers smiles after a basket drops for the Tigers during the first quarter at The Palestra on March 11, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton defeated Penn 63-34. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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ALBANY, NY – MARCH 11: Quinnipiac Bobcats Forward Jen Fay (21) shoots a free throw during the second half of the game between the Marist Red Foxes and the Quinnipiac Bobcats on March 11, 2019, at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ALBANY, NY – MARCH 11: Quinnipiac Bobcats Forward Jen Fay (21) shoots a free throw during the second half of the game between the Marist Red Foxes and the Quinnipiac Bobcats on March 11, 2019, at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Jen Fay, Quinnipiac

Two years ago, the Quinnipiac women’s basketball team jumped into the national spotlight (for more than just their unique name) when they won their first-ever NCAA tournament game – and then one more – to advance to the Sweet 16 as a 12 seed. The Bobcats’ Cinderella run would end at the hands of eventual national champion South Carolina. Despite that – and their second-round loss at UConn as a nine seed in 2018 – the team is still a force to be reckoned with, thanks in big part to my player to watch this postseason, Jen Fay.

Fay led Quinnipiac to its third-consecutive MAAC championship title last Monday with an 81-51 win over Marist. The redshirt senior forward finished her conference career with a season-best 25 points and 13 rebounds in the win, which gave her the honor of becoming the first-ever QU player to win four conference titles. Fay received the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award for the second year in a row because of her efforts.

While Quinnipiac has certainly become the dynasty of the MAAC in the five short years since joining the conference, the team has also received some valuable experience playing some of the bigger, more powerful teams in Division I. As a redshirt sophomore coming off of an ACL injury, Fay especially made her presence known during her team’s Cinderella run in 2017. She led the Bobcats with 13.7 points per game in the three contests played, including a team-high 12 points in their Sweet 16 matchup with South Carolina.

On their own, Fay’s stats won’t top any charts; she’s averaged a team-best 12.1 points per game as one of only two QU players in double-figures. But her experience leading a stacked squad will mean more come tournament time, and I expect the Bobcats to make some noise in the postseason regardless of opponent or venue. No matter what happens, however, Jen Fay will surely make the most out of the time she has left in a Bobcats uniform. — Caissa Casarez

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