Nov. 28, 2010

BTI Tip-Off Classic Game Notes | WFUV Audio | GameTracker | Follow on Twitter

Lawrence, Kansas - After a pair of difficult games, the Fordham women's basketball team has one more shot at the BTI Tip-Off Classic, as the team plays host Kansas today at 2:30 PM EST.

SERIES HISTORY AGAINST BTI TIP-OFF CLASSIC OPPONENTS: Fordham is a combined 0-2 against its BTI Tip-Off Classic opponents this weekend. The Rams are 0-1 against both Kansas and Memphis, while it is the first ever meeting against North Dakota State.

The lone meeting between Fordham and Kansas came at the 1978 Queens College Holiday Tournament, when the Jayhawks snagged an 87-82 overtime win over the Rams.

Just a year later, Fordham had its lone meeting with Memphis at the same Queens College Holiday Tournament. Memphis handed Fordham its only the loss of the tournament, 79-63.

SCOUTING KANSAS: The Kansas Jayhawks are the host team for this tournament, now at 5-0 this season, after wins against both North Dakota State and Memphis earlier in the tournament. The Jayhawks are coached by Bonnie Henrickson, who is in her seventh season at Kansas with a record of 101-95.

Prior to the tournament, Kansas was averaging over 83 points and 51 rebounds per game this season. Individually, Carolyn Davis is the Jayhawks' top scorer at 21.0 points a contest, while Aishah Sutherland is averaging a double-double at 11.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game.

GREAT START: The Fordham Rams are out to a 4-1 start for the first time in 14 years, on the strength on an early four-game win streak. One of the biggest reasons has been the consistency of the offense. Fordham has scored at least 60 points in its first five games for the first time, since a five-game streak to open the 2002-03 season.

The Rams also have balance on offense with four players averaging in double figures.

Abigail Corning NAMED ATLANTIC 10 ROOKIE OF THE WEEK (11/22): Fordham University freshman guard Abigail Corning was selected as the Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week, it was announced by the league office on November 22nd.

It is Corning's first career Atlantic 10 weekly award, and the first award by a Ram player since Becky Peters received Rookie of the Week honors twice during the 2008-09 season.

Corning paced Fordham to back-to-back victories last week, including a 64-42 win over Bucknell and a 67-36 decision against Holy Cross, two of the largest margins of victory for Fordham in the past six seasons.

The freshman guard provided the Rams with instant offense off the bench, averaging 11.0 points, knocking down 4-of-6 from three-point range (.667) and 6-of-7 from the charity stripe (.857). She scored a season-high 13 points against Bucknell on November 17th, following with nine points and three rebounds versus Holy Cross on November 20th.

TOURNAMENTS, TOURNAMENTS, & MORE TOURNAMENTS: Fordham will compete in three in-season tournaments this season for the first time since the 1990-91 season. This year, Fordham plays in the Phoenix Classic, followed by the Kansas Classic after Thanksgiving, and the Fordham Holiday Tournament, right after Christmas.

So far, Fordham went 1-1 at the Phoenix Classic with Fordham junior Becky Peters being named to the All-Tournament team.

TURNING UP THE DEFENSE: After a pair of sub-par defensive efforts in the opening two games, the Fordham Rams returned to its stingy ways against the Bucknell Bison on November 17th and even more so against Holy Cross on November 20th.

Fordham allowed only 42 points to Bucknell, the lowest output for a Rams' opponent since La Salle scored 42 points on January 24, 2009. The Rams' held Bucknell to just 3-of-14 shooting in the second half, which included a 15-minute stretch without a Bison basket. Bucknell was also forced into 17 turnovers in the second half, and 28 for the game, which turned into 37 points on the offensive end.

The following game against Holy Cross was even better, as the Rams held Holy Cross to just 13 first half points, and 36 overall in the game. It was the lowest point total by a Fordham opponent since Puerto Rico-Mayaguez netted 31 points in the San Juan Shootout on December 22, 2004. The 31-point win by Fordham was the largest margin of victory since that same game over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez, which was a 41-point margin. It was the fifth time in the last 15 years that Fordham has held an opponent under 40 points. The others teams besides Puerto Rico-Mayaguez were Morgan State (35 - 11/24/02), Dayton (39 - 1/7/01), and Oregon State (32 - 12/17/97)

FORDHAM WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ON THE WEB: Anyone can follow the Fordham women's basketball team on Facebook and Twitter. On Facebook, you can find the team under "Fordham Women's Basketball" or on Twitter at @FordhamWBB. You can also follow Coach Cathy Andruzzi on Twitter at @Coach_Druzz.

FORDHAM ON THE WEB: For information and statistics on the Fordham women's basketball team, as well as Fordham's other 21 varsity sports, you can check out the Fordham Athletics website at www.fordhamsports.com. For the latest on Fordham and the other Atlantic 10 schools, check out the conference's website at www.atlantic10.org. Twitter fans can also get an inside look at Fordham Athletics by becoming an @FordhamRams follower.