Estero, Fla. – For the second game in a row, the Fordham women's basketball used a big second-half surge to take down its opponent, this time using a 46-29 run to defeat Ball State in the opening game of the 2018 Gulf Coast Showcase. The Rams now advance in the winner's bracket to play either RV/RV Duke or Washington on Saturday at 5 p.m. Fordham improves to 3-2 on the year, while the Cardinals fall to 1-3 overall.
"Super effort by our kids today," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "Great effort off the bench by Zara and Meg. Bre stepped up with a big three and Lauren made some crucial foul shots. Kendell had a new career-high. It was a total team effort. I'm excited about the next challenge ahead. This schedule will continue to make us tougher!"
There were just two lead changes and one tie in the contest; the Rams trailed until a
Bre Cavanaugh layup with 3:13 to play in the third quarter gave them a 49-48 lead and again briefly after Abi Haynes tied the game and took a one-point lead, 68-67, with a pair of free throws with 47 seconds to play in the game. Cavanaugh again gave Fordham the lead, this time with a quick three-pointer from the top of the key after Haynes' last freebie, and the Rams closed out the game on a 11-2 run.
The Fordham offense again started out slowly, shooting just 27.3% from the field, including missing all eight three-point attempts, which led to a 20-13 deficit after the opening 10 minutes. The Rams' shooting improved in the second quarter, 41.2% overall and 55.6% from behind the arc (5-of-9), but the Cardinals' efficiency meant they would win another quarter, this time 21-19, to lead, 41-32, at the half.
The Rams were fantastic for a second consecutive second half after last Sunday's comeback win over Charlotte. The offensive scored 46 points on 51.5% shooting, 37.5% from deep, and was a perfect 6-of-6 on late free throws. The defense stifled Ball State and held them to seven points in the third quarter, allowing just 3-of-15 shooting overall, 0-of-3 from deep, and the Cardinals hitting just 1-of-4 free throws. Trailing by 11 after Anna Clephane's period-opening layup, the Rams went on a 17-5 run over the next six minutes to take a 49-48 lead. Three-point makes from Cavanaugh,
Lauren Holden, and
Zara Jillings got the Rams within one and Cavanaugh converted a tough layup in traffic to push Fordham ahead. A
Kendell Heremaia layup and a
Megan Jonassen putback had the Rams up five, 53-48, heading to the final period.
The Cardinals shot 57% from the field in the fourth quarter but the Rams found an answer time and again, converting on 53% of their own shots in the frame. The Cardinals got within two with six unanswered points, 58-56, at the seven-minute mark but the Rams, through Cavanaugh and Jillings, pushed the lead back up to nine, 65-58. Ball State wouldn't go away, however, and whittled the deficit down to one with a 10-2 run with 1:09 left in the game. As
Mary Goulding picked up her fifth foul, her replacement, Jillings, committed her lone foul of the game on Abi Haynes behind the arc. Haynes hit the front and back-end of her three attempts to give the Cardinals the lead, 68-67, with 47 seconds to play.
Fordham responded immediately through Cavanaugh, who once again drained a clutch basket, this time a quick triple from the top of the key just nine seconds later. Fordham wouldn't trail again. Jillings made up for the foul by diving on a loose ball and gaining back possession for her team and Holden converted all six of her free throws to close out the contest.
The Rams won the battle of the boards, 37-33, including a 16-6 margin on the offensive glass. They have now recorded between 14 and 19 offensive boards in all five games to start the year. For the second consecutive game, Fordham committed single-digit turnovers, with eight on Friday. The offense also converted 30 field goals for the first time since a double-overtime loss at Saint Louis last January 31
st. Both the 30 field goals and 11 three-pointers represent season-highs for the offense.
Cavanaugh notched her third 20-point game of the season with a season-high 24 points on 10-of-23 shooting from the field, including 4-of-11 from behind the arc. Heremaia enjoyed a career-high 15 points on 6-of-11 shooting, 3-of-6 from deep, as did Jillings, who scored 12 points off the bench on 5-of-8 shooting. The latter added eight rebounds (four offensive), five assists, and a pair of steals, as well, over 28 minutes. Holden finished with a season-high 14 points, including two threes, which tied and then moved her past Maureen Garvey ('01) for sixth all-time with 160 career triples.
Mary Goulding posted a season-low four points across 32 minutes but chipped in seven boards and a game-high six assists.
Megan Jonassen added four points and four rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench.
Fordham will play either RV/RV Duke or Washington on Saturday at 5 p.m. in the first winners bracket semi-final.
