Gaitley Nabs 600th Career Win in Women's Basketball's 72-48 Win over St. Bonaventure

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Bronx, N.Y. - Bronx, N.Y. – What could be a better birthday present for Fordham women's basketball head coach Stephanie Gaitley than the 600th victory of her career, 72-48, over St. Bonaventure on Thursday night? The Rams used a 38-21 second-half explosion to power past the Bonnies with four different Rams in double figures and eight different players getting on the scoreboard on the night. With the win, Fordham improves to 16-5 overall and 7-1 in Atlantic 10 action, while St. Bonaventure falls to 7-14 and 2-6, respectively.

G'mrice Davis finished with her 10th straight double-double, 18 points and 14 rebounds, followed by Mary Goulding's 15 points, Bre Cavanugh's 14, and Lauren Holden's 10. The Rams dominated on the glass, 48-24, including 17 offensive boards, and recorded more assists (14) than turnovers (10). The Rams also outshot their opponents, 42.9% to 34.0%, while holding the Bonnies to just 2-of-15 shooting from behind the arc (13.3%). 
 
Aside from a Mariah Ruff layup halfway through the first quarter, the Rams took advantage of a slow-moving opening seven minutes to take a 10-2 lead.  Over the next three minutes, the teams traded off baskets and several trips to the line, and Fordham walked away with a 17-10 lead. The Rams led throughout the entire contest aside from one brief tie after a Jalisha Terry layup, capping a 5-0 run, knotted the game up at 21-21 midway through the second quarter. Emily Calabrese, with a traditional three-point play, and Ruff with a long triple, cut the deficit from seven to one just one minute into the second frame. A Mary Goulding free throw and Kendell Heremaia's long-range make pushed things back to five before the aforementioned five unanswered points from the Bonnies tied the game up.
 
Fordham didn't waste time regaining separation, with Cavanaugh going to the line to hit two free throws and then cruising in for an unchallenged layup sandwiched around a Davis jumper to retake a six-point lead. The Bonnies wouldn't get within four the rest of the half, with Goulding hitting a pair of freebies with half a minute to play to give the hosts a 34-27 lead at the break.
 
The closest the Bonnies would get came early in the second half after an Emily Calabrese layup and then, a minute later, one of two free throws to get within four, 34-30. Heremaia hit another timely three and it kicked off a 23-6 Fordham run the rest of the period, including 9-of-12 shooting by the hosts. After a Danielle Migliore layup, the Rams held their foes to just four points over the final seven minutes, as Cavanaugh and Davis tallied five points apiece heading into the media timeout and, once out of it, Goulding went on a personal 7-2 run before Klug rounded out the stanza with a free throw and late layup. The Rams held a 21-point lead going into the final 10 minutes, 57-36. Fordham never led by less than 20 the rest of the way.
 
Fordham's 48 rebounds ranks as the second-most this year while St. Bonaventure's 24 boards are tied for third-fewest allowed. The Rams continue the lead the Atlantic 10 in rebounds allowed, now below 30 yet again at 29.9. The +24 rebounding margin of the night is also second-largest this season. The team's 14 assists are tied for the most by the Rams in their last six contests and the 10^th time there's been more assists than turnovers, including two straight.
 
Davis finished with her 18 points on 8-of-14 shooting from the floor, while Goulding tallied her fourth double-double of the year with 15 points and 10 rebounds, plus a game-high four assists over 32 minutes. The backcourt duo of Cavanaugh and Holden each tallied three dimes and combined for 24 points, nine rebounds, and eight field goals. Heremaia led the bench with six points on 2-of-4 long-distance shooting, plus an assist and steal, over 20 minutes.

The Rams have a short turnaround and travel to George Mason for a Sunday afternoon clash set for 2 p.m.