Women's Basketball Hosts Bucknell Sunday

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team (6-3) is coming off a thrilling double-overtime win at local Battle of the Boroughs rival St. John's on Tuesday night, and have now won five of its previous six contests, with the lone loss coming in a tight 65-60 contest at Penn State. The Rams will now enjoy five consecutive home contests, including the annual Fordham Holiday Classic and a visit from #11/12 UCLA next Wednesday. Bucknell (6-3) kicks things off on Sunday with a 2 p.m. tip.
 
Upcoming Promotions
Coach Gaitley Coloring Contest: Sunday is the FINAL day to submit your entries into the coloring contest. Presenting your submission to the ticketing table gives you a free ticket to that day's game. All entries will be voted upon and winners will be announced at the December 28 game against Hartford at 1 p.m. Prizes include a Rams prize pack. CLICK HERE to download the coloring contest form.
 
Take a Kid to a Game Day: Thursday, December 28, against Hartford and the first day of the 11^th annual Fordham Holiday Classic. Free admission for children 12 years and younger. Our Youth Clinic will also be held from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Vince Lombardi Field House for girls 8^th grade and younger and boys 6^th grade and younger.
 
Last Time Out at St. John's
Tuesday night was Fordham first victory against the Red Storm since 2002 and it came in thrilling fashion, with a 67-64 win in double overtime. Redshirt freshman Bre Cavanaugh scored nine of her game-high 20 points in the two overtime periods, while both G'mrice Davis and Mary Goulding each notched double-doubles, plus a career-high 14 points from freshman forward Johanna Klug. Fordham's starters combined for 240 of 250 minutes, with both Goulding and Lauren Holden playing the entire contest. The Rams took a sluggish first quarter, 13-10, before St. John's erupted for a 17-9 second period score, taking a 27-22 lead into halftime. Fordham fought back in the third, outscoring the hosts, 18-14, and briefly taking the lead back but conceding it to St. John's shortly thereafter. The two schools traded baskets to start the fourth quarter until Holden and Goulding combined for a quick 6-0 run to give Fordham some breathing room, 51-45, with a few minutes to play. The Rams would go quiet from the field thereafter, though, allowing the Red Storm, and Andrayah Adams in particular, to tie the game back up with an and-one play and a layup with under a minute to play. Neither team could sink the go-ahead basket in the final minute, sending the game to extra time. St. John's started strong in both periods, with a four-point and three-point lead in each extra frame. Despite letting in the early points, the Fordham defense would lock down both times and fight back. Cavanaugh hit a critical jumper after two offensive boards by Davis and Goulding and then later taking the lead with a three deep in the shot clock, although the Red Storm would answer right away on the other end. In the second overtime, down three, the Fordham defense didn't allow another basket over the final three minutes, as Davis hit a jumper to get within one, Cavanaugh fought through traffic to see her layup fall, which proved to be the eventual game winner, and two clutch free throws by the Allamuchy, N.J. native down the stretch to pad the lead to three.
 
Series History vs. Bucknell
The Rams hold a 15-6 advantage all-time over the Bison since 1983. Bucknell has won three of the last four contests, however, between 2008-11. Most recently, the Bison took down Fordham, 49-39, in Lewisburg on December 6, 2011.
 
Davis Scores 1,000th Point
G'mrice Davis entered her senior campaign with 970 career points scored and knowing it wouldn't be long to become the 20th Ram to ever accomplish the feat of scoring 1,000 career points in maroon and white. After scoring 28 combined points in her first two games, she was able to reach 1,000 quickly at Albany. The Philadelphia native has since scored 82 points over her last four contests and now sits on 1,097 career points, having just passed former teammate Erin Rooney ('14) for 17th all-time. Heather Donlon ('93) is next with 1,121.
 
Cavanaugh Named A-10 Rookie of the Week
Redshirt freshman Bre Cavanaugh was named the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week last Monday afternoon after two standout performances two weeks ago. The Allamuchy, N.J. native set two new career-highs in scoring when she scored 16 points at Manhattan and then a team-high 21 points against Pittsburgh.
 
Seventh-Ranked Defense
Fordham comes into the weekend allowing the seventh-fewest points per game in the country, at just 52.6 to opponents. The Rams allowed an opponent to score more than 60 points for the first time all season, with Penn State scoring 65 last Wednesday night, and 64 points by St. John's on Tuesday, despite coming in two overtime periods (53 in regulation), but all other opponents have scored between 33 and 59, with just two hitting the 55-point mark. Fordham sits atop the Atlantic 10 and is behind just Green Bay, North Texas, Central Arkansas, Clemson, Georgia Tech, and Auburn as the only programs to allow fewer than 53 points per contest. Last year, the Rams held opponents to 56.2 points per contest, which ranked 19th by season's end.
 
Division I's Top Rebounder
G'mrice Davis, the nation's returning leading rebounder, hasn't missed a beat, leading all of Division I with 14.6 rebounds per game and 11.8 defensive boards per contest. The senior's eight double-doubles rank fourth overall. Davis has also recorded at least 11 points, 13 rebounds, and one steal in seven consecutive contests.
 
National Ranks
Davis is once again doing her thing on the glass and the Rams are, as usual under Coach Gaitley, a top defensive squad, but this year's team is also minimizing fouls and sinking free throws at top rates. Fordham ranks 19th overall with just 125 fouls and 15th nationally with 13.9 per game, both of which rank first in the conference. Opposing teams are also hitting just 24.5% of long-range attempts, ranked 21st, and 37.4% from the field overall, which ranks an even 100th. At the free throw line, the Rams convert on 76.2% of their attempts, ranked second in the A-10 and 26th in the country. With seven players averaging at least 3.0 boards per game and the nation's leading rebounder, the group unsurprisingly rank 47th overall with an +8.0 rebounding margin over opponents.
 
Lauren Holden, who ranked first in the country in minutes played after Fordham's first overtime contest this season, at the time averaging an unsustainable 41.3 minutes per game, is back atop the Division I standings in minutes played, with 39.6. The junior guard played all 50 minutes at St. John's on Tuesday night and has gone the distance in six separate contests out of nine. Bre Cavanaugh and G'mrice Davis have also been asked to log heavy minutes, ranked 19th and 17th, respectively, with 37.8 and 37.7 minutes per contest. Cavanaugh and Davis have excelled at the charity stripe, too, sinking their freebies at clips of 85.0% and 82.1%, respectively, ranked 72nd and 115th overall. For Davis, that represents a personal-best mark.
 
Defense, Defense, Defense
A staple of the Gaitley-led Rams is defense, and no stat better represents that than Fordham's 52-5 record when holding opponents under 50 points during her tenure. Last January, Saint Joseph's defeated the Rams, 47-44, at Hagan Arena in Philadelphia, ending a streak of 38 consecutive contests with such victories. The last time before that loss, coincidentally, was also against the Hawks, in the 2013 A-10 Championship game at the Barclays Center, 47-46. Fordham was 10-1 last year when holding opponents under 50 points and are 3-0 this season.
 
Since Gaitley took over before the 2011-12 season, the Rams have ranked within the top-50 in all six seasons, and within the top-20 at the conclusion of half of them, in scoring defense. The highest a Gaitley-coached defense has finished was 12th during the conference championship-winning 2013-14 campaign, holding opponents at 56.3 points per game, while the 2012-13 squad held opponents to just 52.4 points per game, ranked 16th nationally. Last year, Fordham held opponents to 56.2 points per game and was ranked 19th in the country at season's end. This season, the Rams are 3-0 in such games, holding UMBC, Northern Colorado, and Manhattan all to under 48 points.
 
Crashing the Offensive Glass
Fordham grabbed an astounding 23 offensive rebounds at Penn State, compared to 16 on the defensive end, which was 20 more than the Lady Lions' three by night's end. Mary Goulding grabbed nine of her 10 rebounds on offensive possessions, while G'mrice Davis split her 14 boards evenly on either side. For the season, of the Rams' 354 rebounds, 117 have come on the offensive glass, or more than one third of the time (33.0%). For the season, Goulding has more offensive boards (28) than defensive (19), while Holden has one fewer (7-8), as does Johanna Klug (14-15). Four players have at least 10 offensive rebounds thus far.
 
Opponents Scoring <>
The Rams, all-time, since the move from the AIAW to the NCAA in 1983, have held opponents under 40 points 18 times, all coming in 1990 and beyond. Under Stephanie Gaitley, that number is seven, with Northern Colorado's output of 33 points being the latest. The Bears came into that contest averaging 69 points per contest over five game. Their 33 points were the third-lowest by a Fordham opponent all-time.
 
Got a Minute?
Junior tri-captain Lauren Holden once again leads the nation in minutes played per game, with 39.8. She has gone the distance in six different games this season and had a stretch of three straight 40-minute shifts over a seven-day span between November 29 and December 6. She played all 45 minutes in an overtime loss at Albany and all 50 minutes on Tuesday night at St. John's. A starter since midway through her freshman season, Holden passed the 2,000-minute mark against Northern Colorado and is fast approaching the all-time top-20. G'mrice Davis and Bre Cavanaugh are also inside the top-20 nationally in minutes played, with 37.8 and 37.7, respectively.
 
Fourth Quarter Rallies
In Fordham's two losses early in the season, the Rams faced double-digit deficits but made furious charges in the final period of action to get close or take the lead. At Boston College, the Eagles led by 12 with 3:23 left in regulation. Fordham responded, however, and rattled off an impressive 10-1 run down to the final 20 seconds where the Eagles were able to hit both of their free throws and solidify the victory. At Albany, the Rams entered the fourth quarter trailing by 11. Fordham had shown flashes in the third quarter, outscoring Albany, 12-11, but was still unable to make up the necessary ground. The Great Danes began the fourth with a short 4-2 run to lead by 13, but after that last basket, it was all Fordham. The Rams rampaged to a one-point lead with 20 seconds to play, capping a 15-1 run, with G'mrice Davis scoring 11 of those points. Unfortunately for Fordham, the Great Danes would tie things up and go on to win in overtime.
 
Slow Starts, Strong Finishes
Over the team's first give games, opponents were outscoring Fordham, 58-49, in first quarters and, after the Pittsburgh game, 75-71, in second quarters. However, the Rams were thriving after halftime, outscoring opponents, 88-67, in third periods and 182-137 combined over the final 20 minutes. Fordham has begun to start contests better, outscoring Penn State, 49-42, over three quarters, and holding a 34-14 halftime lead against Iona, plus a slim 13-10 first quarter lead over St. John's on Tuesday. However, the Rams were outscored by both the Lady Lions and Gaels in their respective fourth quarters. Against the Red Storm, the Johnnie's went up by five at halftime thanks to a 17-9 second frame, although Fordham won the next two periods to force overtime. On the year, Fordham is outscoring opponents 524-473 overall and are winning in every quarter, some closer than others. In first quarters, the Rams are up, 116-105, but just by five, 105-100, in second periods. The halftime breaks seem to rejuvenate the squad, as they outscore opponents 147-110 in third quarters, but just 136-134 over the final 10 minutes.
 
Davis Racks Up Preseason Honors
As mentioned, Davis' breakout junior season saw her earn First Team All-Conference and All-Defensive honors, and it was announced at A-10 Media Day that the league's coaches have predicted her to do so again as a senior. Davis was also recently selected as one of 20 players in Division I women's basketball for the inaugural Katrina McClain Award watch list, to be given out to the country's top power forward, starting this season.
 
Fordham Picked to Finish Fifth in Preseason Poll
Likewise, the league's coaches also predicted an identical fifth-place finish for Fordham in the preseason poll. Dayton, last year's champions, garnered eight first-place votes for a total of 182 points, just ahead of Saint Louis, who tallied 174 points and three first-place votes, and Saint Joseph's, with 170 points and the final three first-place votes. Duquesne, with 160 points, rounds out the top five in a predicted fourth-place finish. George Washington (116), La Salle (114), George Mason (79), Richmond (78), and Massachusetts (73) filled out spots 6-10, followed by VCU (56), St. Bonaventure (50), Rhode Island (46), and Davidson (22).
 
Five Fordham Debuts
Five freshmen made their debuts against UMBC, the most since 2011. Three of those freshmen started the contest, the most in the last 15 years. Joey Klug's 13 points were the most by a freshman in her debut since Hannah Missry scored 14 in 2013. Klug became the first freshman to record both a block and a steal in her debut over the last 15 years, as well, and the first to record at least one block since Samantha Clark had two in her 2012 debut. Cavanaugh's 39 minutes were the most by a freshman making her debut since Megan Mahoney played all 40 minutes in 2007.
 
Gaitley Makes History
Stephanie Gaitley reached 100 wins with the Fordham program against Little Rock on November 19, 2016, and later won her 116th contest at home against Massachusetts, 74-43, in February, passing Kathy Mosolino ('74-'80) for the most wins in program history. Gaitley tied and passed the milestone with two typical Gaitley-inspired performances, with three-pointers and excellent defense, holding both opponents below 50 points. Entering the 2017-18 season, Gaitley had 120 wins across six seasons in the Bronx, an average of over 20 per campaign. Her 126 total wins are the second-most of any of Gaitley's stops in her 32-year career as a head coach, ahead of her 116 wins at Richmond (1985-91) but a ways away from her 10-year stint at Saint Joseph's (1991-2001), in which she racked up 196 wins. Gaitley has a career 590-349 record and has the second-most overall wins among active A-10 coaches, behind Saint Louis' Lisa Stone, and has the second-most wins by any Atlantic 10 coach, with 170 between Fordham and Saint Joseph's, but is 70 behind Joe McKeown's record of 240 that he accumulated during his 17 years with George Washington from 1989 to 2008.
 
This Is Our House
Fordham finished its 2016-17 campaign with a 16-3 at home, as opposed to a 5-7 record on the road and 1-2 at neutral sites. They were also 7-1 during home conference contests for the second year in a row. Since Gaitley took over before the 2011-12 season, the Rams hold a 75-24 (75.8%) record at home. They are 4-0 thus far this season in the Bronx. On the flip side, including this year's 2-3 start, Gaitley's Rams are 51-55 (48.1%) on the road or on neutral ground.
 
Fordham on the International Scene
The Rams boast one of the larger international contingents, between players and coaching staff, in the country. Seven different countries are represented: Barbados (Sonia Burke), Fiji (Valerie Nainima, Vilisi Tavui), Germany (Johanna Klug), Latvia (Asnate Fomina), Poland (Angelika Szumilo), and New Zealand (Mary Goulding, Kendell Heremaia, Zara Jillings), and 13 from the USA.
 
Career Milestone Watch
- G'mrice Davis is three points away from 1,100
- G'mrice Davis is 13 rebounds away from 900
- G'mrice Davis is 19 free throws away from 250
- G'mrice Davis is 17 field goals away from 450
- G'mrice Davis is five assists away from 100
- G'mrice Davis is one steal away from 100
- G'mrice Davis is four starts away from 75
- Asnate Fomina is two assists away from 150
- Asnate Fomina is 10 steals away from 50
- Asnate Fomina is 13 appearances away from 100
- Lauren Holden is 13 field goals away from 200
- Lauren Holden is two appearances from 75