Box Score Dec. 22, 2009
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
Manhattan's Michelle Pacheco scored a game-high 18 points to go with six assists and six rebounds, as the Jaspers handed the Fordham Rams a 63-47 loss at Draddy Gymnasium in the annual "Battle of the Bronx."
With the loss, Fordham drops to 6-5 overall, while Manhattan improves to 5-6.
The Jaspers opened with the early advantage at 14-7, behind six points from Michelle Pacheco. Manhattan extended the lead to 11, 18-7, following a basket by Abby Wentworth with 10:16 remaining.
The Jaspers' Kerri White and Alyssa Herrington then hit back-to-back three-pointers to extend the lead to 13, 26-13, with five minutes left in the opening period, and eventually took a 17-point edge, 32-15, into halftime.
Fordham struggled shooting in the opening frame, hitting just 6-of-24 shots (25 %), while the Jaspers knocked down 14-of -31 shots (45%).
The Rams began to crawl their way back into the game in the second half. Fordham's Kyara Weekes and Becky Peters both connected from three-point range, closing the deficit to 14, 43-29, with 12:42 remaining. Peters hit another three, followed by a driving basket by Weekes and a lay-up by Tiffany Stokes, keeping Fordham within 11, 47-36, with 6:29 remaining.
The 11-point deficit however was as close as the Rams would get, as the Jaspers hit 10-of-14 free throws over the final two minutes, keeping Fordham at bay for a 16-point win.
For Fordham, Caitlin Shadbolt recorded her first double-double as a Ram with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Stokes added eight points and eight rebounds. Peters and Randall Hurst each hauled in ten rebounds with Peters adding eight points, as Fordham did outrebound Manhattan, 46-36, in the contest.
The Fordham women's basketball team will return to action on Monday, December 28th, as they open play at the Fordham Holiday Classic against Binghamton at 1:00 PM in the Rose Hill Gym.
