Box Score Dec. 29, 2009
Bronx, N.Y. -
The 2009 Fordham Holiday Classic concluded on Tuesday, where it was almost a repeat of day one. In the opening game, UMBC's Carlee Cassidy had a game-high 18 points to lead the Retrievers to a 62-56 win over host Fordham, while in the nightcap, East Carolina needed overtime to down Binghamton, 86-82.
Game One - UMBC 62, Fordham 56 - Box Score | Photo Gallery | 
Game Highlights
UMBC's Carlee Cassidy notched a game-high 18 points, while Michelle Kurowski added 12 points and seven rebounds, as the Retrievers upended host Fordham, 62-56 in game three of the Fordham Holiday Classic at the Rose Hill Gym.
With the win, UMBC evens its record at 6-6, while Fordham drops under the .500 mark at 6-7 overall.
The game was a tale of two halves, as Fordham dominated the opening half, opening with an 11-2 lead, highlighted by a pair of baskets from Tiffany Stokes. Fordham increased its lead to 13, 19-6, on a Kyara Weekes three-pointer, her second of the period.
After UMBC cut the lead back to nine, Fordham's Randall Hurst netted four straight points followed by a basket by Kristina Bell to give the Rams their largest lead at 15, 25-10. The Rams kept that lead at 15 as Tyonna Willingham hit her first three-pointer of the season with 1:37 left in the period, and eventually took a 31-18 lead into halftime.
In the second half, Fordham netted the first basket of the period on a bucket by Becky Peters, but UMBC came alive with 17 straight points to take a 35-33 lead with 14:01 remaining in the half. In that stretch, Michelle Kurowski hit a pair of three-pointers and a lay-up to lead the Retrievers.
The lead then seesawed back and forth, as Weekes and Bell hit three-pointers for Fordham, while Megan Colabella hit one for UMBC, leaving the game tied at 42. The score remained tied through the next five minutes at 50 all, before UMBC put together a seven-point lead, 57-50, their largest lead of the game, with 1:30 left.
The Rams wouldn't go away as Fordham pulled within three, 58-55, on a Weekes jumper and a three-pointer by Peters. UMBC however wouldn't allow Fordham to get any closer hitting their final four free throws for a 62-56 win.
For Fordham, Weekes scored a season-high 16 points to go with a career-high eight rebounds as well as four assists. Hurst recorded her first double-double of the season and the fifth of her career with 10 points and 10 rebounds, while Peters, Bell, and Willingham each had eight points.
The Fordham women's basketball team will next be in action on Thursday, December 31st, when they open a four-game road trip at Providence, beginning at 1:00 PM.
Game Two - East Carolina 86, Binghamton 82 (OT) - Box Score
In the final game of the 2009 Fordham Holiday Classic, four East Carolina players scored in double figures, led by Crystal Wilson's 20 points and eight rebounds, as the Pirates outlasted Binghamton, 86-82, in overtime.
With the win, East Carolina improves to 11-2, while Binghamton falls to 3-9.
With time winding down in the second half and having two players foul out, Binghamton's Andrea Holmes hit her fifth three-pointer of the game with 17 seconds left to tie the game at 74 to force overtime.
In overtime with the score knotted at 82, Crystal Wilson hit a jumper with 1:11 left to give East Carolina a two-point edge. Binghamton was unable to get the tying basket in the final minute, giving East Carolina an 86-82 win.
Holmes finished with a game-high 28 points, hitting six three-pointers to go with seven assists to lead Binghamton with Orla O'Reilly and Erica Cater each having 13 points.
For East Carolina, Wilson finished with a team-high 20 points, while Kim Gay had 13 points and nine rebounds. Allison Spivey and Ashley Clarke also chipped in 10 points each.
