Box Score Feb. 3, 2010
Richmond, Va. - Despite their second-best shooting effort this season, the Fordham women's basketball team endured another game told by two halves on Wednesday as the Rams lost, 61-48, to the Richmond Spiders in Atlantic 10 action at the Robins Center.
Down just five points at the period break, the Spiders were unable to shake the Rams by more than a couple possessions as Richmond was plagued by 32 percent shooting. Richmond's quick scoring spurts were just enough to keep the Spiders ahead going into halftime. In the second period, Fordham's luck changed as the Spiders improved to 50 percent and sunk 39 points off Fordham turnovers.
The Rams shot 56 percent in the second half, 52.8 percent overall, for their second-best shooting percentage this season.
Fordham was also the beast of the boards, tallying 34 rebounds to Richmond's 28. The Rams grabbed 28 missed shots by the Spiders. Offensively, Fordham scored 10 second chance points, while Richmond only had four.
With the loss, the Rams are 8-15 overall, 2-6 in the Atlantic 10. The Spiders advanced to 15-7 and 4-3 in league play.
Senior forward Randall Hurst led the Rams for the 11th time with 13 points off 6-for-9 shooting and 1-of-4 points from the free throw line. Junior guard Kyara Weekes had Fordham's second-best scoring effort with 10.
Junior forward Tiffany Stokes was one point shy of a double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds and nine points. Stokes was 5-for-6 from the charity stripe, shooting 4-for-4 in the waning minutes of the second period.
In the first period, Hurst broke Richmond's 12-point run at 12:42 with a layup set up by junior guard Kristina Bell.
Peters followed suit and cut the Spider lead in half, 12-6, with a jumper from the key in the next possession. With a made free throw and jump shot by Bell at 10:51 the Rams continued to roll, making it a one-possession game, 12-9.
Richmond answered back with a nine-point run, 21-9, stopped by sophomore guard Becky Peters with a quick three pointer just under the eight-minute mark.
With just under a minute to play in the first half, rookie guard Charlotte Stoddart grabbed her own rebound and put it back up to slash the Spider lead to five, 25-20.
Stoddart opened up the second half for the Rams with a jumper on Fordham's first possession of the period, Spiders lead, 27-22. Richmond answered back with a three-pointer from Abby Oliver to extend the Spider lead to eight.
An offensive rebound put back up by Hurst, followed by a 3-pointer poured in by Weekes brought the Rams back within three, 30-27, four minutes into the period.
The Spiders answered once again with their longest run of the game, 23-8, to take a 53-35 lead with 3:55 left to play.
With just under four minutes to play, the Rams rejuvenated their energy as Stokes rolled in a layup assisted by Stoddart to end Fordham's drought. Fouled by Richmond on the following possession, Stokes sunk two free throws to shrink Richmond's lead 53-39.
After a layup from Spider Rachel Bilney, Peters found the net and Stokes poured in two more shots from the free throw line to decrease the Richmond lead to 12 points, 55-43 with just under two minutes left in regulation.
Despite the late-game push, Richmond held onto their lead and defeated Fordham to the final score of 61-48.
For the Spiders, Brittani Shells led Richmond in points, rebounds and assists, with 23, eight and four.
Up next, the Rams continue on the road to take on the Minutewomen of Massachusetts on Saturday, Feb. 6 in A-10 play. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. at William D. Mullins Memorial Center.
