Box Score Nov. 28, 2008
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Cancun, Mexico - UNC-Wilmington's Brittany Blackwell recorded a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Sahsha Taylor added 17 points, as the Seahawks edged out the Fordham Rams, 53-48, in the opening game of the Cancun Thanksgiving Shootout at the Kuchil Baxal Gymnasio in Cancun, Mexico.
With the loss, Fordham drops to 2-3 on the year, while UNC-Wilmington improves to 4-0.
Looking to go over the .500 mark for the first time this season, the Rams got off to a sluggish start as the Seahawks moved out to a 12-4 lead, behind six points from Sahsha Taylor. Fordham closed the gap to three, 12-9, after made baskets from Becky Peters and Tiffany Stokes with 9:43 remaining. The Seahawks pushed the lead back to seven, 18-11, before Megan Mahoney canned a three-pointer to get Fordham within four with 6:29 to go. The Rams kept the deficit at six by halftime, 25-19, as neither squad would score over the final 1:46.
Scoring in the paint was the storyline of the first half, as UNC-Wilmington scored 18 of their 25 points in the paint, while Fordham managed just four. The Rams did shoot 44.4% from the field, but were limited to just 18 shots, as a result of 13 turnovers and nine offensive rebounds by the Seahawks.
The Seahawks increased their lead to seven to start the second half, before Fordham notched the next six points to close the gap to one, 29-28. Mahoney started the mini-run with a jumper, followed by a basket by Takita Earl and two free throws from Annie Zopf. After a pair of free throws by Taylor made it a three-point game, Tiffany Stokes connected for a three-point play to tie the game at 31 with 14:52 remaining. Stokes then gave the Rams their first lead on another basket just 20 seconds later.
The Seahawks tied the game at 35, but the Rams came right back to take a five-point lead, 40-35, on a put back by Mahoney and a three-pointer by Kyara Weekes with 10:14 on the clock. The Rams held onto that lead until the 4:40 mark where Brittany Blackwell scored on a fast break lay-up to knot the game at 42. The Seahawks would then score the next eight points to take a 50-42 advantage, as Fordham could not find the range on the offensive end.
The Rams did hit two three-pointers in the final 30 seconds by Zopf and Weekes to get Fordham within four, but time would run out on the Rams, falling by five.
The game was decided primarily in the paint and at the free throw line, as UNC-Wilmington outscored Fordham 34-18 in the paint, while also hitting 17-of-26 free throw attempts. In comparison, Fordham was only 4-of-11 from the charity stripe.
For Fordham, Tiffany Stokes had 10 points, five rebounds and three steals off the bench, while Megan Mahoney also had 10 points to go with four rebounds. Annie Zopf added seven points and five rebounds with Kristina Bell recording a career-high seven assists.
The Fordham women's basketball team will now play in the consolation game on Saturday, November 29th, as they meet Ohio University at 5:00 PM ET.
