Box Score Jan. 2, 2010
Box Score
Princeton, N.J. -
Playing in front of a pro-Fordham crowd, the Fordham Rams showed plenty of character and grit, as the Rams outscored Princeton, 37-32, in the second half, highlighted by 14-0 run, but a hot shooting opening half by the Tigers denied the Rams the win, as Princeton won 75-61 at Jadwin Gymnasium in Princeton, N.J.
With the loss, Fordham finishes non-conference play at 6-9, while Princeton improved to 11-2.
Princeton quickly got out to a 7-0 lead, before Fordham came back with five points on a three-pointer by Becky Peters and a basket from Randall Hurst. Princeton extended their lead behind back-to-back three-pointers from Addie Micir, but Fordham pulled within 19-11 on eight straight points from Hurst.
Krystal Hill then had her own scoring spurt for Princeton, netting eight straight, including a three-point play to give the Tigers a 29-15 lead with 6:28 left. The Tigers would finish the half shooting 58.1% (18-31) from the field, taking a 43-24 lead into halftime.
At the break, Lauren Edwards was 7-of-10 from the field for 16 points to lead Princeton, while Hurst had 10 points and four rebounds for the Rams.
In the second half, Princeton's Niveen Rasheed continued her team's hot shooting, connecting for ten points over the first eight minutes, extending the Tigers lead to 62-30. The Rams began to cut into the lead, as Charlotte Stoddart, seeing her first action of the season, knocked down her second three-pointer of the game, while Kyara Weekes and Hurst each added two, as Fordham trailed 62-37 with 10:45 remaining.
Fordham extended that run all the way to 14-0, as Hurst hit a basket underneath with Kristina Bell nailing two free throws to get Fordham within 18, 62-44 with under eight minutes left. Fordham closed within 16, but Micir responded at the other end for Princeton with her fifth three-pointer of the game, leaving the Tigers ahead, 69-50.
Fordham made a final push, closing within 14 on a three-pointer as well as a jumper by Bell in the closing minutes.
For Fordham, Hurst tied a season-high with 23 points, her fifth 20-point game this season, to go with eight rebounds and four steals, while Bell added 13 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. Bell also recorded one steal in the contest, giving her 100 career steals. Stokes chipped seven points, six rebounds, and four assists with Stoddart adding six points and six rebounds in her inaugural game as a Ram.
The Fordham women's basketball team will next be in action on Saturday, January 9th, when they open Atlantic 10 play at Saint Joseph's University, beginning at 1:00 PM, as the first half of a basketball doubleheader.
