Davis Scores 1,000th Career Point in Overtime Loss at Albany

Box Score (pdf)
 
Albany, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team made a furious comeback in the fourth quarter for the second game in a row but, like Thursday's close loss at Boston College, the Rams fell just short, 59-52, in overtime at Albany. Senior forward G'mrice Davis scored her 1,000^th career point, delivered the go-ahead basket near the end of regulation, and finished with her eighth career 15-15 game. With the loss, the Rams fall to 1-2 on the young season, while the Great Danes improve to 2-1.
 
"It was a hard fought battle, one in which we can take away some positives," Head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "We need to take better care of the ball and start off stronger. This was a step in the right direction."
 
Davis and the Rams came alive in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Great Danes, 17-6, which included 11 points from the Philadelphia native. Davis' basket with 20 seconds left put Fordham up one, 46-45, and gave the visitors their first lead of the afternoon. However, freshman Johanna Klug was called for a foul under the basket on the other end with three seconds to play. Heather Forster hit just one of her two attempts, though, to send the game to overtime.  
 
Albany's Jessica Féquière, who scored a game-high 27 points but just two in the second half, came alive in overtime, hitting 2-of-3 shots and 3-of-4 from the line for eight points to give the hosts the win.
 
The Great Danes began the contest hitting 10 of their first 19 shots through the five minute mark of the second quarter. After that, the Rams' defense stepped up, holding Albany to 3-of-10 shooting the rest of the period, then 5-of-18 in the third quarter (27.8%), and just 2-of-12 (16.7%) over the final 10 minutes of regulation. Fordham racked up a season-high 11 steals and did not allow an Albany trip to the charity stripe until late in the fourth quarter.
 
The Rams shot just 7-of-25 (28.0%) from the field and 1-of-9 from behind the arc in the first half, and similarly shot 28.6% (4-of-14) overall in the third period, but kept things within striking distance with a strong effort on defense. Féquière hit a late three at the end of the first quarter and then a buzzer beater at the end of the first half, giving Albany its largest lead of the day at the half, 29-17.
 
Davis scored 13 of her 17 points after halftime, on 6-of-9 shooting, and finished the game with a big double-double of 17 points and 17 rebounds across 40 minutes. Davis scored her 1,000^th point on a typical midrange jumper from near the free throw line, but also fouled out with 90 seconds left in overtime. She is the 20^th Ram to ever reach the 1,000 point mark. Davis also added three steals.
 
Junior tri-captain Mary Goulding made her season debut and started the contest, finishing with three points and a steal in 16 minutes. Both Bre Cavanaugh and Lauren Holden scored 11 points, the former shooting 3-of-12 from the field for the third consecutive game to start her Fordham career. Both guards notched two assists, as well. Cavanaugh played a season-high 40 minutes, while Holden matched her career-high by playing all 45 minutes.
 
Freshman Halei Gillis played a season-high 27 minutes off the bench, compiling four points, seven rebounds, and three steals before fouling out in overtime. There were also debuts for freshmen Katie McLoughlin and Lauren Murphy late in the contest. Murphy corralled two clutch offensive boards during her two minutes, while McLoughlin scored her first career basket with a driving layup in overtime.
 
Fordham outrebounded the Great Danes, 42-38, but allowed more offensive rebounds, 17-16. The Rams turned the ball over 20 times and had just four assists on the day. Overall, the team shot 34.5% from the field (20-for-58), and just 3-of-19 from deep (15.8%).
 
The Rams return home to host Northern Colorado this upcoming Friday night at 7 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on the Atlantic 10 Digital Network.