Women's Basketball Downs UNC Asheville, Takes Third at Holiday Classic

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team earned third place at the 10^th annual Fordham Holiday Classic with a 55-42 win over UNC Asheville in Friday afternoon's consolation game. Sophomore Lauren Holden paced both teams with a game-high 14 points, while G'mrice Davis conjured up her second straight double-double and seventh of the season, with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
 
"I thought we did some really good defensive things this tournament," Head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "I'm really proud of this team to finish 9-5 with our nonconference schedule. I feel we are prepared for conference play!"
 
Both teams exchanged opening blows in the first quarter but Fordham took a 9-7 lead on Hannah Missry's second three of the game and never looked back, spending most of the contest leading by double figures, although the Bulldogs fought back with a big third quarter, outscoring the hosts, 17-11, but failing to eclipse 10 in any other frame.
 
The Rams took a 31-16 lead into halftime on the back of several big runs, including three separate runs of seven or more unanswered points. Fordham finished the half on a 15-4 run.
 
The Bulldogs started the second half hot with a 6-0 run spurred by Jessica Wall and Khaila Webb to cut the deficit to nine, 31-22, and although the visitors outscored the hosts by six in the frame, they couldn't get within eight. Davis picked up her third and fourth fouls early in the third quarter and spent much of the second half on the bench. Without her, Burns shifted to the five and Gaitley opted to rotate in that fifth spot on the court. Holden took over with nine points from that point on, including seven straight at one point.
 
A Tiana Knuckles layup got UNC Asheville within seven, 42-35, but Burns answered on the other end with a jumper. A Holden midrange floater got her team back above 10 and the Rams would keep it around there until the final whistle.
 
Fordham shot 44% (22-50) from the floor, fourth-best this season, and 41.2% (7-17) from downtown, while taking a season-low six free throws, hitting four. The Rams won the battle of the boards, 37-25, two short of the fewest rebounds allowed in a single game (Little Rock – 23).

 
Holden led the way with her 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting in 38 minutes and was joined in double figures by Davis' seventh double-double on 5-of-10 shooting in 26 minutes, and both Burns and Missry with 12 points apiece. Burns added six rebounds in 38 minutes, while Missry hit three threes. Freshman Anna Kelly matched a season-high 19 minutes and scored five and grabbed a career-high four boards. Asnate Fomina came off the bench for a season-high 27 minutes and totaling five rebounds and four assists, plus a block and a steal. Mary Goulding chipped in two points, three rebounds, and a block in 15 minutes.
 
The win was the 36^th straight under Coach Gaitley when holding an opponent under 50 points, and fourth this season, dating back to the start of the 2013-14 season. It is also Coach Gaitley's 108^th win in the Bronx, putting her eight away from becoming Fordham's all-time winningest coach in its history.
 
The Rams begin Atlantic 10 play in earnest with a New Year's Day matinee at Rhode Island at 2 p.m.

10th Annual Fordham Holiday Classic All-Tournament Team

Lauren Holden (Fordham)
Stephanie Reid (Buffalo)
Cassie Oursler (Buffalo)
Katie Benzan (Harvard)
Destiny Nunley (Harvard)

Tournament MVPs
Harvard seniors Destiny Nunley, Taylor Finley, and Grace Keane