Women's Basketball Hosts Penn State Wednesday Night

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Game Notes
 
Bronx, N.Y. – After splitting two games over three days to begin its 2018-19 campaign, the Fordham women's basketball team (1-1) will welcome Penn State (1-1) to the Bronx for a midweek match-up, looking to avenge a pair of losses in Happy Valley the past two seasons. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
 
Last Time Out
After a 21-point victory over Wagner at home on Friday night, the Rams offense struggled against a tough Northeastern defense on the road Sunday, shooting just 28.6% from the floor and 14.8% from behind the arc. Fordham's defense and offensive rebounding kept them in the game, however, holding a lead until early in the fourth quarter and within striking distance until the final whistle. The Huskies shot just 33.3% from the field and 21.4% from long distance. Fordham hauled in 19-of-42 rebounds on the offensive glass although the hosts corralled 15-of-46 on that end, as well. The Rams overcame a sluggish start to finish the first period on a 16-2 run but their shooting woes began in the second period as Northeastern chipped away. Bre Cavanaugh and Mary Goulding each finished with a game-high 15 points and 40 minutes played, the latter hauling in 12 rebounds (nine offensive), while the former shot just 5-of-22, including zero makes on six three-point attempts. The redshirt sophomore did hit all five of her free-throw attempts, grabbed six rebounds, and led the squad with three assists, though. Kaitlyn Downey followed up a solid collegiate debut with seven clutch second-half baskets to go with six rebounds (five offensive), and two assists over 25 minutes.
 
Series History vs. Penn State
The Nittany Lions hold a 5-0 advantage in the all-time series since 1994 but every contest has been played in University Park, Pa. This will be the first time they visit the Rose Hill Gym. Two years ago, Fordham's season ended in the second round of the WNIT as Penn State won, 70-51. Last year, however, the Rams held a 10-point lead with just under eight minutes to play until Teniya Page took over down the stretch, scoring 14 points over a five-minute stretch to rally the Nittany Lions to a five-point victory. Lauren Holden led the way with 14 points, while Mary Goulding double-doubled for 13 points and 10 boards, plus a team-high five assists. Like the Northeastern game, Goulding tallied nine offensive boards.
 
Five Fordham Debuts
Five Rams made their collegiate debuts on Friday night against Wagner. Kaitlyn Downey got the start and scored 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor and 4-of-7 from the line across 19 minutes to go with five boards, an assist, and a steal. Redshirt freshman Vilisi Tavui scored four points with a pair of steals in 10 minutes off the bench and was joined by true freshmen Chloe Chaffin, Megan Jonassen, and Catherine Polisano. Polisano hit a first-quarter three for her lone points of the game, Jonassen scored two points and hauled in a pair of offensive rebounds, and Chaffin grabbed three boards and made one of her two freebies. There was five debuts a year ago, as well, the most since 2011.
 
Atlantic 10 Preseason Poll Results
For the second year in a row the Rams have themselves a preseason First Team All-Conference honoree. Last year it was senior G'mrice Davis but this year it is redshirt sophomore Bre Cavanaugh, who finished up a sensational rookie campaign with Second Team and All-Rookie distinction plus being named the MBWA's Metropolitan Rookie of the Year. The team, meanwhile, was predicted to finish in a tie for third place, alongside reigning conference champions, George Washington, in what is the highest the Rams have ever been in the annual poll under Coach Gaitley.
 
Heremaia's Career Night
Sophomore Kendell Heremaia was in the opening night starting lineup on Friday and delivered with an efficient 13 points, a new career-high, to go with seven rebounds, matching her previous high, and five assists, also a new personal-best. The New Zealand International sank three first-half three-pointers in four total in the game and a new high of five total baskets. Heremaia made seven starts as a freshman in 33 appearances. 
 
Last Time in Happy Valley
Come-from-behind loss
 
Shooting Woes
After opening the season by shooting 43.3% from the field and 40.9% from behind the arc against Wagner, the Rams struggled with their shot on Sunday at Northeastern, hitting just 20-of-70 shots (28.6%), including 4-of-27 from three-point land (14.8%). Fordham shot under 30% from the floor just once last season, in a blowout loss against nationally-ranked UCLA (19.6%). The only worse three-point percentages last year came against the Bruins (9.5%) and at Boston College (13.3%), and also shooting 15.8% from deep at Albany. However, the latter two contests came in the team's first three games a year ago and once the schedule flipped to Atlantic 10 play, Fordham was one of the league's better three-point shooting teams, hitting from deep at a 34.0% clip.
 
For A Good Cause
Fordham attempted 27 free throws from the charity stripe in the season-opening win over Wagner, the most since an 85-72 win over Davidson two seasons ago. The Rams last year tied the program record for free-throw percentage, hitting 76.9% of their attempts, and are shooting 76.3% through two games this season. Nine different Rams have gotten to the line so far with four converting on all of their chances. Bre Cavanaugh has the most makes and attempts, hitting 10-of-13 thus far, while Kaitlyn Downey is 6-of-9 in the early going.
 
Gaitley Gets Career Win Number 600
Stephanie Gaitley got her first career win against Siena in December 28, 1985. She got her 500th career victory while at Fordham, against Temple on March 10, 2013, in the Atlantic 10 Championship semifinals in Philadelphia. After stops at Richmond, Saint Joseph's, LIU Brooklyn, Monmouth, and now in the Bronx, the Ocean City, N.J. native can claim what less than 70 coaches all-time can: 600 career wins. She did it with a 72-48 win over St. Bonaventure on January 25 of this year, on her birthday, to boot, and currently holds a 609-357 all-time record. She became the program's all-time winningest coach in 2016, also against the Bonnies, and has a 145-87 record with the Rams. While with three different schools in the A-10 over her career, she also has the second-most conference wins, 177, but is behind George Washington's Joe McKeown by 63.
 
20 Wins
Last year's Rams finished 24-10, the fifth-most wins in a single year in school history. It was the second consecutive year Fordham has finished with 20 or more wins and the fifth time under Coach Gaitley since 2011-12. The program has only ever had 10 20-win seasons: three with Kathy Mosolino (1977-80), one under Christina Wielgus (1991-92), and one under Kevin Morris (1993-94). It was Gaitley's 17th time winning 20 games or more in her 32-year career.
 
Top-15 Ranked Defense
Gaitley's Rams are known for their stout defense and last year was no different. Fordham allowed just 56.1 points per game to opponents, which ranked 15th in the country. The Rams allowed just 13 60-point games and held an 11-0 record when opponents scored below 50 points. Two big reasons why was holding opponents to just 29.7% shooting from behind the arc, one of the lowest marks in the country, and outrebounding foes by a margin of 6.6 boards per contest. Under Gaitley, the Rams have been a top-50 defense in all seven seasons and have finished within the top-20 in half of them.
 
Defense, Defense, Defense
No stat better represents the Gaitley-infused defense than Fordham's 56-5 record when holding opponents under 50 points during her tenure. Two Januarys ago, 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. Since that streak ended, the Rams have rattled off 14 such wins. Fordham is 21-1 in its last 22 contests with rivals scoring under 50 points.
 
This Is Our House
Since Gaitley took over before the 2011-12 season, the Rams hold an 87-27 (76.3%) record at home across 114 contests. Over the last three seasons, the Rams are 32-6 in the Bronx, including a 13-3 mark in conference play. Last year, Fordham finished 15-3 at home overall and 6-2 in league action. On the flip side, including last year's 9-6 mark, Gaitley's Rams are 58-60 (49.2%) on the road or on neutral ground during her tenure.
 
Got a Minute?
Senior co-captain Lauren Holden set a new Fordham record with 1,333 minutes played last year, which ranked fourth in the country and second in a per-game basis (39.2). Holden went the distance on 21 separate occasions last year, including two 50-minute efforts. Aside from two blowout wins and 33 minutes against Northern Colorado due to foul trouble, Holden played at least 35 minutes in every contest and at least 39 in 23. A starter midway through her freshman year, Holden became the 15th Ram to surpass 3,000 career minutes, now up to 3,251 for her career, which ranks 10th all-time. Bre Cavanaugh, meanwhile, was right alongside her with the second-most minutes played in a single season, finishing with 1,306 minutes played and 38.4 per game, ranked ninth and sixth, respectively.
 
Holden Ascending the All-Time Ranks
Having played the 10th-most minutes in Fordham history, it's not surprise to see Lauren Holden's name already in the record book. The Cape May, N.J. native's lone three on Friday night broke a tie for seventh all-time with Becky Peters ('12), while her 84.2% career rate from the free-throw line sits fifth. She is also on pace to become the 21st member of the program's 1,000-point club, currently at 850, as well as enter the top-five for games played and stated, currently at 100 and 85, respectively.
 
Gaitley's 3-and-D Rams
Under Coach Gaitley, the Rams have finished within the top-50 in scoring defense in all seven seasons and within the top-25 in four of those. Her Rams have also tallied the top four three-point totals in school history, with last year's 186 ranking fourth all-time. The record is 244 set by the Atlantic 10 championship-winning team of 2013-14.
 
Bre's 37-Point Night
Bre Cavanaugh set a Fordham freshman record in double overtime at Saint Louis, dropping 37 points on 12-of-30 shooting, 5-of-8 from three-point range, and hitting all eight of her free throw attempts, all over 48 of 50 possible minutes. The 37 points ended up being a season-high among all Atlantic 10 players. Cavanaugh became just the third freshman to ever tally multiple 30-point games, along with Fordham Hall of Famers Anne Gregory O'Connell, Sharon Nast, and Jeanine Radice. In fact, only six players have ever had multiple 30-point performances in a single campaign. Both Cavanaugh's 12 field goals and five triples were both season-highs as were her 30 attempts, the latter also leading the conference last year. The Allamuchy, N.J. native scored the final eight points for Fordham in regulation, including clutch free throws with 10 seconds left to tie the game up, and eight more points in overtime.
 
60 is the Magic Number?
Fordham is 32-3 over its last two-plus seasons when scoring 60 points or more, including a 16-3 mark a year ago and 1-0 start to this season. After scoring at or under 55 points across the first six contests last season, the Rams rattled off 21 games with at least 60 points over their final 28 games.
 
Career Milestone Watch
- Bre Cavanaugh is six field goals away from 200
- Bre Cavanaugh is 30 three-pointers away from 100
- Bre Cavanaugh is nine steals away from 50
- Mary Goulding is 47 points away from 400
- Mary Goulding is nine assists away from 100
- Mary Goulding is three steals away from 50
- Lauren Holden is 50 points away from 900
- Lauren Holden is 43 three-pointers away from 200
- Lauren Holden is 15 starts away from 100
- Lauren Holden is 49 minutes away from 3,300
 
Up Next
Fordham remains at home to host former Atlantic 10 rival, Charlotte, this Sunday afternoon for a 2:30 p.m. tip.