Rams Outscored 74-59 By No. 5 Xavier, But A-10 Tournament Appearance On Their Horizon

Feb. 28, 2010

Bronx, N.Y. - It was an eventful day at Rose Hill as Fordham played No. 5 Xavier to a competitive game in the Rams' regular-season finale. The Rams had a 32-31 lead just before the half, but were outscored in the final six minutes of play as the Musketeers, came away with a 74-59 victory. After playing the most spirited and hard-fought Atlantic 10 game of the season thus far, the Rams had better news to look forward to as they were named the No. 12 seed in the conference tournament after winning the coin flip that decided the tie-breaker between Fordham and La Salle.

Sunday's game also featured senior day festivities in honor of the Rams' lone senior, forward Randall Hurst (West Bloomfield, Mich.), who has led the team in scoring all season. Hurst tallied eight 20-plus point performances during 2009-10. She was also the squad's rebounding leader.

With the loss, Fordham is 8-21 overall and 2-12 in Atlantic 10 play. Xavier is 24-3 overall and 14-0 in the league.

Sophomore guard Becky Peters (Plainsboro, N.J.) led the way for the Rams with 17 points off 5-for-12 shooting, 3-of-7 from the perimeter. Peters also recorded a season-best five steals. In addition to Peters, three other Rams scored in the double-figures, including rookie guard Arielle Collins (Hamilton, N.J.) with a season-high of 12 points, all three pointers, junior forwards Tiffany Stokes (Lynwood, Ill.) and Caitlin Shadbolt (Coomboona, Australia) with 11 each.

In addition to Peters, the Rams' bench scored 28 points for the Rams, hitting six total 3-point goals.

Xavier's Ta'Shia Phillips led the Musketeers with 25 points, shooting 11-for-12, mostly under the basket.

Xavier jumped out to a 12-1 lead past the first official time out. Things began to change for Fordham at the 15-minute mark as Collins hit a 3-point shot dished to the outside perimeter from classmate Charlotte Stoddart (Manchester, England). Peters sank one-of-two free throws to cut the lead to seven. And a jumper from Stokes made the tally 12-7 with 13:50 left to play.

Xavier came right back in it and with 10:59 left in the first half, Xavier led by 12, 19-7.

But once again, 3-point shots got the Rams right back in it as Peters led them off with a 3-ball set up by Collins. Phillips scored in the paint for Xavier to bounce back to an 11-point lead, 21-11, but Fordham was inspired as they scored 12 points to the Muketeers' four over the next four minutes of play. Peters made two free throws in the run, and junior Kyara Weekes (Cambridge, Mass.) drained a trifecta at 7:02 set up on the outside by Shadbolt. Freshman Ranait Griff (Summit, N.J.) drove through Xavier defenders to pull up for an inside jump shoot and Collins closed sealed the run with another 3-pointer to bring Fordham within three, 25-22.

Xavier could not regain the lead they once had, as Fordham kept right in it with 3-point shots. The Musketeers led by six, 29-23, but a 3-ball from Peters kept the Rams' within one possession, 29-26 with 4:13 left in the half.

It was yet another 3-pointer from Collins at 1:27 that gave Fordham it's first on only lead of the half, 32-21, with just over a minute left in the first period. It was short-lived as Phillips made another of her patented layups rolled over to her by Amber Harris down low to put the Musketeers back up, 33-32.

Peters tied the score at 33 with 31 seconds left in the half, making one-of-two free throws, but a last second 3-point shot from Xavier's Katie Rutan gave the Musketeers the 36-33 advantage going into the period break.

Junior Caitlin Shadbolt setting up for three.

In the second half, Fordham kept at it, keeping the score close. The Musketeers jumped out to a nine-point lead, 51-42 with 12:59 left in regulation, but the Rams' swung the momentum back in their favor with a 3-pointer from Peters and an inside shot plus one from Stokes, which cut the Xavier lead back to three, 51-48 with 11:10 left on the game clock.

Xavier benefitted from layups and free throws down the stretch the lead to 13, 66-53 with 4:03 left in the contest. A layup from Shadbolt and a 3-pointer from Griff gave the Rams a shot as they trailed by just eight, 66-58 with just over two minutes to play.

In the final two minutes, Xavier made eight free throws to seal the deal on their 14th conference victory. Fordham could only score one in the span.

Stokes hit the 100 mark in defensive rebounds this season with her two against the Musketeers. Collins tallied four career marks with a career-best in field goals (4), 3-pointers (4), points (12) and minutes played (29). Griff surpassed five career categories in field goals (2), 3-pointers (1), points (5), assists (1), steals (3) and minutes played (23).

The Rams held the Musketeers to under their average scoring margin (+16.7), and also came closer to Xavier's point total then their opponents in the past two games. Massachusetts lost 75-41 (Feb. 20) and Charlotte lost 81-61 Feb. 24).

Hurst started but was only able to play four minutes due to a knee injury.

With the last regular season loss behind them, the Rams will look ahead to the future as they will play the No. 5-seed, St. Joseph's in the first round of the Atlantic 10 tournament on Friday, March 5. The Rams and Hawks will tip off in the 2:30 p.m. slot, held at the Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md.

"I'm so excited and so happy for our players," said fourth-year head coach Cathy Andruzzi. "They played a great game against Xavier today in their last regular season game without two of the regular starters. I am very thankful for the opportunity to continue playing and I am so excited about being in the Atlantic 10 tournament."

After a three-way tie for the twelfth seed occurred between Fordham, La Salle (7-22, 2-12) and Rhode Island (9-20, 2-12), who had identical records of 2-12 in the conference. Both Fordham and La Salle defeated Rhode Island during the season, creating a two-way tie. With the Rams and Explorers identical in head-to-head league competition (1-1) and with records against the highest common opponent, a coin flip becomes the deciding factor.

Fordham was assigned "heads" and La Salle "tails" due to alphabetical listing. With the Atlantic 10's Associate Commissioner Debbie Richardson and Associate Director of Communications Melissa Kristofak, acting as the officials of the tie-breaker coin toss, Fordham won the flip, which landed heads up, just like Super Bowl XLIV, granting the Rams' their first trip to the Atlantic 10 tournament since the 2005-06 season. It is the first appearance in the postseason tournament for Andruzzi.