Box Score Dec. 16, 2012
Box Score
BRONX, N.Y. - Behind a season-best offensive output that saw all five starters finish in double-figure scoring, Fordham downed Morgan State (4-7), 72-56, in the Rose Hill Gym. With their second consecutive win, the Rams improve to 7-4 on the season.
Erin Rooney led all scorers with 21, just one off her career-high. Marah Strickland added 13 points, Abigail Corning and Samantha Clark each chipped in 12, and Arielle Collins netted ten.
Much like they did in the win over Southern, Fordham jumped out to a big lead early, scoring nine of the game's first 11 points over three and a half minutes. Collins drained a 15-foot jumper and hit a three-pointer during that stretch.
Coming off a career-high-tying 22 point performance last time out, Rooney paced the Rams offense in a first half that saw the team's best effort of the season over a 20 minute stretch. She scored 16 points, including a perfect 4-4 from the stripe, and dished out two assists in the opening stanza.
The Rams entered the break with a 38-30 advantage. Strickland chipped in eight points, while Clark added seven points and five boards in the first half.
After a few relatively quiet games on the score sheet, Corning went on fire early in the second half. The Wethersfield, Conn., native scored nine points on 4-4 shooting over the first five minutes, as the Rams jumped out to a 52-39 lead.
Morgan State worked their way back into the game over the next five minutes, outscoring the Rams 11-3 and trimming the lead a manageable five points, 55-50, with 9:43 left in the game. But the Rams put their foot on the gas from there, outscoring Morgan State 15-4 over the next seven and a half minutes to put the game away.
Rooney's performance capped a stellar week for the junior guard. The Christchurch, New Zealand native finished the week averaging 21.5 points, four assists, three steals, and only two turnovers per contest while shooting 45 percent from the floor, 50 percent from three, and 92 percent from the charity stripe in Fordham's two wins. She has scored in double figures in all eleven games this season.
Fordham finished the game with five players in double figures for the first time since the beginning of the 2010-2011 campaign, when a starting five of Becky Peters, Kyara Weekes, Charlotte Stoddart, Tiffany Stokes and Caitlin Shadbolt all finished with ten or more points on November 13th against Stony Brook.
The victory marked the second straight outing for Clark in which the freshman forward from Neptune, N.J. finished with a double-double. She registered 12 points and 11 boards for the Rams.
Corning played a very complete game as well, pulling down six boards and distributing four helpers in addition to her 12 points.
The Rams will enjoy a well-deserved break to focus on final exams and enjoy the Christmas holiday, next seeing action in the Sixth Annual Fordham Holiday Classic on December 29th when they host Lafayette. Tip-off for that game is set for 1:00 PM.
