FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Ijeoma Uchendu set career-high marks with 28 points and 20 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as the Fairfield Stags defended their home court against the Bulldogs on Saturday afternoon to record an 81-77 double overtime victory.

Uchendu was highly efficient in setting her new career-high scoring mark, shooting 12-for-24 from the field. The senior forward did a majority of her damage once she received the ball in the paint. The Stags began to double and even times triple team Uchendu in the double overtime period which led to the Bulldogs only coming up with six points in the final five minutes of the contest.

The Bulldogs cut the deficit to just three points after a pair of free throws from Loryn Goodwin in the double overtime period, but solid free throw shooting down the stretch would end the game as Fairfield stepped up to hit 5-of-6 from the line when it really mattered the most.

Butler held onto a slim one-point lead at the break, but the game opened up after a four minute scoring drought midway through the second half which resulted in Fairfield going on an 8-0 run. The Stags would push their lead to 10 points (60-50) at the 4:17 mark as Lexus Murry picked up her fifth personal foul of the game, ending her season debut with eight points, three boards and two assists.

The Bulldogs never quit in the final 4:17 as the team came together to end the second half on a 12-2 run to force overtime. Emmy Schabel started the run with her first two points of her Bulldog career. Butler went back to Uchendu to get within one point at 61-60 with just over a minute to play and it was Uchendu once again that would tie the game with a layup with just 46 second remaining.

The Stags had three shots in the final 30 seconds of the game, but none of them found the bottom of the net as BU survived to force overtime for the first time this season.

The first overtime period started with a 3-point field goal from Fairfield, but the Bulldogs wouldn't shy away from Uchendu as she came up with seven of the teams' nine points in the first overtime period. Each team tensed up with just 15 seconds remaining as Casey Smith split a pair of free throws to keep the game tied at 71-71.

Double overtime started just like the first as Fairfield buried another 3-point field goal, this time from Kristin Schatzlein. That triple would be the only scoring of the extra time until Schabel hit a jumper with her foot on the 3-point line with 1:22 remaining. A jumper from Casey Smith would once again give the Stags a three point lead and key free throw shooting from Felicia DaCruz would separate the two teams giving the Stags their first win of the season.

Uchendu and Loryn Goodwin were the top two scoring options on the team on Saturday afternoon as the duo combined for 51 of Butler's 77 points. Goodwin also ended with a double-double by recording 23 points and 10 rebounds. She came alive in the second half to add a team-high six steals and five assists.

Fairfield was led by the one-two punch of Schatzlein and Smith. Schatzlein continued to hurt the 'Dawgs from 3-point territory, finishing the contest 5-of-11 from deep with a team-high 21 points. Smith just missed a double-double notching 19 points and nine rebounds.

Schatzlein was a non-factor in the first half, but the Stags were still able to off to a hot start, putting pressure on BU. Fairfield opened the game on a 5-0 run and pushed that advantage to double digits at 13-3 at the 12:33 mark.

Butler closed that gap to four at 10:46, but a 10-2 run from Fairfield would open up a 23-11 lead after a score from Kelsey Carey. Despite early offensive struggles, the Bulldogs kept fighting at the end of the half to go on a 16-3 run in the final 5:55 to take their first halftime lead of the season. Blaire Langlois hit a pair of triples to spark the attack and Murry would give the 'Dawgs the 27-26 lead at the break with a put-back with just five seconds remaining.

Important factors to the final outcome of the game included the Fairfield rebound margin (+13) and the Stags ability to knock down 3-point field goals. Schatzlein recorded five of Fairfield's nine 3-point field goals and was also able to haul down seven rebounds. Helena Orts didn't do much offensively for the Stags but her overall effort ended her day with a team-high 11 rebounds, three of which were offensive.

In total, the game was tied four times and there were 10 lead changes, most of which happened in the overtime periods. Today's game marks the first double overtime contest for Butler since the 2010-11 season when they recorded a 105-98 win at Ball State.

The team will look to get back to their winning ways with a Thanksgiving trip to Hawaii to compete in the Tom Westin Invitational. Butler will face BYU, nationally-ranked Oregon State and BYU-Hawaii during the trip.