Feb. 9, 2010
Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham returns to the friendly confines of Rose Hill Gym after a week on the road to host Dayton at noon on Thursday, Feb. 11 in Atlantic 10 action. Tip off was originally slated for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10, but due to incoming inclement weather in the area was moved to the following day. (Information as of 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday.)
The Rams will be looking to snap a two-game Atlantic 10 losing streak back in the comforts of their home gym where they have been undefeated in their last two home games. In their past two games at Rose Hill, the Rams defeated Rhode Island (53-47, Jan. 23) and La Salle (57-47, Jan. 30).
Dayton has been climbing up the ladder in the conference as they have won seven of their last nine games in the new year, 6-2 in the A-10. They played their last two games at UD Arena and will be leaving the friendly confines of home for the first time this month.
Ram fans can follow all the Atlantic 10 action live via webcast and live stats on FordhamSports.com. The play-by-play will be called by Fordham's own WFUV Radio personalities sitting courtside.
SCOUTING DAYTON: The Flyers (18-5, 6-2 A-10) are coming off two home victories over A-10 opponents with a 70-55 victory over Charlotte (Feb. 3) and a 73-54 win over Saint Louis (Feb. 7).
Against St. Louis, the Dayton bench outscored the Billikens' 37-11, 13 Flyers reached the scoring column, led by 14 points from senior Kendel Ross. The only league losses for the Flyers so far are against then No. 10 Xavier (74-49, Jan. 30) and Saint Joseph's (68-62, Jan. 20). Both losses were on the road. They are currently receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.
Head coach Jim Jabir reached a coaching milestone on Dec. 21, as the Flyers gave their leader his 100th victory at the institution and 320th of his career with an 84-81 double-overtime thriller over Butler. The Flyers have faced four ranked teams this season, opening with a win over then-No. 10 Michigan State, 77-74, on Nov. 13.
The Flyers are led by sophomore forward Justine Raterman who averages 12.0 points per game off 275 points this season. Senior swingman Kendel Ross is second on the team in scoring with 10.1. Junior guard Kristin Daugherty who is third on the team with 9.6 ppg was recently honored as a COSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American as public relations major at Dayton. Sophomore center Casey Nance and Ross lead the Flyers at the boards with an average of 6.3 rebounds per game.
RAMS VS. FLYERS - THE SERIES: Dayton holds the 14-4 series advantage over Fordham, and has won four of their last five meetings. On March 4, 2005, the Rams got the better of the Flyers 49-45 in the first round of the A-10 Tournament held at the Smith Center in Washington, D.C. The Rams, seeded No. 4 in the East, defeated the Flyers, the No. 5 seed in the West. led by former Ram Monica Mack with 20 points. The Rams were able to improve from a 19.4 FG% in the first half, where the Rams and Flyers were tied at 18, to 42.9 percent shooting, 60 percent from the 3-point line.
WHEN LAST THEY MET: The teams last saw each almost exactly one year ago Feb. 10, 2009 at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. The Flyers defeated the Rams, 82-45, and were led by Casey Nance with 21 points. The Rams were led by Annie Zopf with nine points. Kyara Weekes scored a second best team high of seven points. Of the five starters who faced off against Dayton in 2009, four Rams return, providing for 42 percent of the scoring against the Flyers.
LAST TIME OUT: Despite a 16-point, career-best effort from sophomore guard Tyonna Willingham, the Fordham women's basketball team rallied just a little too late as the Massachusetts Minutewomen defeated the Rams, 60-50 in Atlantic 10 action on Feb. 6 at the Mullins Center.
Willingham sparked the Rams, coming off the bench with three minutes to play in the first half, as she broke Fordham's scoring lull with a 3-pointer in the last 1:44. Willingham closed out the period with a long range jumper at the buzzer. Helped by Willingham, the Rams went into halftime down just nine points, 27-18.
In the second half, UMass opened with their 22-6 run, the Minutewomen led 49-24 at 10:28.
The Ram run began at 9:55 with Stokes sinking a layup and extra point for a three-point play, assisted by Bell. The rookies from Jersey took over as freshman Ranait Griff came off the bench to sink a trey set up by rookie guard Arielle Collins with 8:32 left in the half. Bell took advantage of a missed 3-pointer from Minutewoman Cerie Mosgrove to take down a rebound for a fast break layup for another Fordham basket. Another missed UMass bucket rebounded by Bell resulted in another fast break layup for the Rams, this time rolled in by Collins off long pass from Bell.
The game shifted back into Fordham's favor as the Rams continued to score with a quick 3-pointer by Willingham. A repeat performance of the first half, the Rams scored 10 points in three minutes to bring the score within reach, 49-37 with 5:47 left to play. Massachusetts was held scoreless since the 10-minute mark.
Willingham came up with her third 3-pointer of the game with 30 seconds left on the clock, Fordham down, 58-48. Stokes drove in a layup in the waning seconds of play, but the late game push was not enough to overcome UMass's 22 points in the beginning of the second half as the Minutewomen won, 60-50. For the Rams, Stokes had a second-best team high of nine points, off 3-of-5 shooting and 3-of-3 from the free throw line. Stokes also added four steals. Willingham's 16 points came off 6-for-10 shooting, a perfect 3-for-3 from the outside.
RAMS IN RESERVE: At Massachusetts (Feb. 6), the Rams helped themselves bounce back from a 22-6 Minutewoman run with energy from the bench. Fordham scored 28 bench points, 12 points more than UMass and six more than the Fordham starting line up. Sophomore Tyonna Willingham led the 'Reserve Rams' with a team and career-high 16 points, sinking a perfect 3-for-3 3-point goals. Rookie Arielle Collins dished out her career-best four helpers.
In Fordham's victory over Rhode Island, the Ram bench scored 18 points, led by Becky Peters and Caitlin Shadbolt with a combined 12 points.
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.
COMING ATTRACTIONS: The Rams will take to the road again, traveling west to Philadelphia for their third road trip in four games. Fordham will play La Salle for the second time this season, this time on La Salle's home court for a 1 p.m. tip off on Saturday, Feb. 13. The Rams and Explorers met previously this season on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Rose Hill. Fordham defeated La Salle, 57-47. La Salle is the only team Fordham plays twice in regular season league play.
La Salle is currently at the bottom of the A-10 standings with an 0-8 conference record and 5-18 overall slate.
