Dec. 8, 2010
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Lawrenceville, N.J. - The Fordham women's basketball team looks for its second straight win over a MAAC opponent, as the team travels to Lawrenceville, New Jersey for a showdown with the Rider Broncs on Wednesday.
Fordham defeated Rider's fellow MAAC member St. Peter's on Saturday, 77-55, while Rider is still in search for its first win of the season at 0-6, after falling to Princeton on Sunday, 87-45.
The Rams and Broncs have some common opponents in this early portion of the season, as both squads have played Bucknell and Fairleigh Dickinson. Fordham defeated both of those teams by scores of 64-42 (Bucknell) and 62-56 (FDU), respectively, while Rider lost to both by scores of 53-48 (Bucknell) and 77-50 (FDU).
SERIES HISTORY: This will be only the third ever meeting between the Broncs and the Rams, despite being just 60 miles apart on the New Jersey Turnpike. Fordham has won both contests, including last year's game at the Rose Hill Gym.
That game was a momentous day in Fordham athletic history with the number retirement of Anne Gregory O'Connell, which was followed by a 65-56 win over the Rider Broncs at the Rose Hill Gym.
With the game tied at 54 with 5:26 remaining in the second half. Katie Vican put Fordham back ahead with a pair of baskets with Tiffany Stokes adding a free throw to get the lead to five, 59-54. Rider closed back within three on two free throws, but would not score the rest of the way, as Fordham iced the game with four free throw makes in the final 16 seconds to win the game by nine.
For Fordham, the three-headed attack of Stokes, Vican, and Becky Peters accounted for 49 of Fordham's 65 points. Peters finished with a game-high 19 points to go with five rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Stokes had 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting to go with seven rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. Vican also posted 15 points on 7-of-11 shooting with Kristina Bell adding eight points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
SCOUTING RIDER: The Broncs have had a rough opening stretch, going winless through their first six games. Rider is averaging only 43.7 points per game, while allowing 73 per contest. The Broncs are coached by Lynn Milligan, who is in her fourth season at Rider, compiling a 22-74 record.
Rider's top performer this season has been Caitlin Bopp, who is averaging 8.0 points and 9.5 rebounds per game.
HOME SWEET HOME: For the second straight year, Fordham has opened the season with a 3-0 record at the Rose Hill Gym. Over the last 30 years (since 1980-81), the Rams' best start at home was 7-0 in the 1983-84 season.
HITTING THE GLASS: One of the biggest improvements for the Rams this season has been the team's work on the glass. Fordham has outrebounded its opponent in six of nine contests this season. The Rams have five players averaging at least 4.3 rebounds per game, led by Tiffany Stokes at 7.7 per game.
Fordham won the rebounding battle only nine times in 30 games a year ago.
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 seven of its first eight games for the first time, since the 1993-94 season.
The Rams also have balance on offense with three players averaging in double figures.
IT'S BEEN A WHILE: High scoring affairs have been rare over Fordham's recent history, which puts Fordham's first two games of the season at the Phoenix Classic in high standing.
The Rams scored at least 75 points in both games, which included an 81-point winning effort against Stony Brook. In addition, the Rams had five players reach double figuring in the Stony Brook.
To put those numbers in perspective, the last time Fordham had five players in double figure scoring was December 11, 2005, in a 71-61 loss to Cincinnati, a span of 138 games.
The Rams' last 80-point game was January 11, 2004 in an 81-69 victory over the Rhode Island Rams, a span of 191 games.
Finally, to find the last back-to-back 75-point games by the Rams, one goes back to the opening two games of the 2002-03 season against Brown (78 pts.) and Morgan State (89 pts.), which was 231 games ago. Against St. Peter's, Fordham topped the 75-point mark for the third time for the first time since the 1998-99 season.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: Fordham heads home for back-to-back home games in its next two contests. The Rams host Monmouth on Saturday, December 11th at 1:00 PM, while taking on crosstown rival, Manhattan on Saturday, December 18th at 7:00 PM. Fordham will then conclude the pre-Christmas schedule with a road game at Iona on December 22nd.
