Box Score Feb. 11, 2012
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
It was a long day of basketball at the Rose Hill Gym on Saturday for the support staff, band, cheerleaders, dance team and most especially the women's basketball team as they fell in overtime to Xavier, 68-57, in the second half of a doubleheader that saw the men fall to Dayton in extra time in the opener. With the loss, Fordham falls to 2-8 in the Atlantic 10, 11-14 overall.
Fordham's Arielle Collins slashed through the paint to score a layup with 0:05 remaining in regulation to knot the score at 46-46 and force overtime, but the Rams were outscored in the extra session, 22-11.
The game began with the teams trading baskets before Xavier went ahead 4-2 on a Jessica Pachko layup at 17:54. Fordham grabbed a 5-4 advantage when Charlotte Stoddart scored three of her ten points with a trifecta at 16:41. The lead was extended to 7-4 when Becky Peters nailed a jumper on the next Rams' possession.
Xavier responded offensively and took a three-point lead twice over the next four minutes, the first coming on a pair of Ashley Wanninger foul shots at 14:19 and the other on a Lakeisha Crouch free throw at 11:20, 12-9.
The continued to be close as neither side could extend the lead past three points until an Amber Gray layup at 4:32 gave the Musketeers a 20-16 lead. Fordham pulled within one, 20-19, when Stoddart answered with a three-pointer the next time down the court.
At 2:09, Xavier pushed the advantage to four points again as a Tyeasha Moss three made the score 23-19. Fordham immediately countered with a Peters layup and the Musketeers took a 23-21 lead into halftime.
The second half began with Fordham scoring a pair of baskets to even the score at 25 on a Christina Gaskin jumper at 17:35. The two buckets ignited a 15-6 Fordham run over the next 9:07 as the Rams opened a nine-point cushion, 40-31. During the scoring spree, Abigail Corning scored seven of her team-best 15 points, scoring on a layup off the pretty pass from Arielle Collins, a pair of foul shots, and another layup.
Xavier got as close as six points,40-34, with 5:37 left before a Corning free throw at 4:39 was the third of three straight Fordham points and the Rams went up nine once again, 43-34.
The Musketeers turned up the defense, holding the Rams scoreless over a 3:37 stretch while Xavier netted eleven points, to take a two-point lead, 45-43. The run was capped by a free throw from Shatyra Hawks at the 1:02 mark.
The teams would exchanged free throws in the final minute before Collins tied the game with her layup.
In overtime, Xavier outscored Fordham 22-11 to pull away for the 68-57 win.
Besides Corning's 15 points, Peters (13) and Stoddart (10) were the Rams in double figures.
Fordham returns to action on Wednesday, February 15, when the team hosts Duquesne at 7:00 PM in their annual "Think Pink" game for breast cancer awareness in the Rose Hill Gym.
Notes: Fordham falls to 0-9 lifetime against Xavier in the Rose Hill Gym...The Rams forced 20 Xavier turnovers while committing just 12 themselves...Becky Peters collected four steals and moved past Monica Mack (185) into 4th place in career steals with 186...Peters also tied Mack for 4th place in career starts (103)...Assistant Coach Laura Forbes celebrated her birthday on Saturday while Administrative Assistant James Hett had his on Friday.
