Box Score Dec. 31, 2009
Box Score
Providence, R.I. -
Hoping to start off the new year right, the Fordham Rams played a fantastic ball game getting 23 points and seven rebounds from Randall Hurst, but it was Chelsea Marandola's 23 points that pushed Providence past Fordham, 62-57, at Alumni Hall.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 6-8 overall, while Providence goes to 9-3.
Fordham's Randall Hurst came out on fire in the first half, scoring the Rams' first nine points of the game. Becky Peters then connected for a three-pointer, giving the Rams a 14-13 lead, eight minutes into the game.
Providence then snagged a 19-16 after a pair of baskets by Emily Cournoyer with 7:48 remaining in the first half. Fordham came right back to retake the lead, 24-22, as Hurst connected for her first three-pointer of the season with 4:20 left.
After the Friars took the lead back on a Brittany Dorsey three-pointer, the Rams fought back to take a 28-27 lead on a lay-up from Tiffany Stokes, which Fordham would take into halftime.
The game was relatively clean at the half, seeing just 11 total turnovers by the two teams. At the break, Hurst led all scorers with 16 points, hitting 6-of-11 shots, to go with four rebounds, while Providence was led by Chelsea Marandola with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Rams continued to hit their shots at the start of the second half, as Weekes and Tyonna Willingham each knocked down a three-pointer to extend the Fordham lead to six, 40-34, with 15:47 to go. Fordham continued to give the Friars all they could handle, as Hurst recorded a three-point play with 12 minutes left to give the Rams their largest lead of the game at eight points, 46-38.
Providence then cut into the Fordham lead behind five points from Marandola, as Fordham led 48-45 with 8:08 to play. Weekes responded right back with two straight three-pointers to push the Rams' lead back to five, 54-49, with 3:40 to go.
The Friars however wouldn't go away getting a three-point play from Lola Wells and a three-point shot from Marandola to take a 55-54 edge with under a minute left.
Marandola then hit another three to put Providence up four, but Peters knocked down a three for Fordham to pull back within one, 58-57. Dorsey then hit two free throws, leaving Fordham down three, 60-57, with one chance to tie the game.
The Rams tried to get off one final shot but the ball got knocked away from Weekes leading to a basket for the Friars, leading to a 62-57 decision in favor of Providence.
For Fordham, Randall Hurst scored a team-high 23 points to go with seven rebounds, while Kyara Weekes added 13 points and three three-pointers. Stokes also hauled in a team-high 11 rebounds to go with six points.
Providence was led by the 23 points and seven rebounds of Marandola, while Jessica Clark had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
The Fordham women's basketball team will next be in action on Saturday, January 2nd, as they play at Princeton University, beginning at 4:00 PM.
