Women's Basketball Rallies for 65-61 Win in 50th Battle of the Bronx

Highlights

Bronx, N.Y. – Redshirt sophomore Bre Cavanaugh scored 12 of her season-high 27 points in the fourth quarter to help the Fordham women's basketball team rally for a 65-61 win over Manhattan in the 50^th Battle of the Bronx on Saturday afternoon. With the win, the Rams improve to 5-4 on the season, while the Jaspers fall to 1-5 overall.
 
"I'm really proud of our team finding a way to gut out this win against a well-coached Manhattan team," Head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "The Battle of the Bronx reminds of the Big 5 Battles I had while at Villanova. Records go out the window.

Manhattan played well but we found a way. Super win!"
 
Cavanaugh scored 12 fourth-quarter points on 4-of-7 shooting, including a big three-pointer to take a 61-60 lead with one minute left in regulation, and freshman Megan Jonassen provided the game-winning basket with a clutch offensive rebound and layup off the bench. The Rams outscored the Jaspers, 21-14, over the final 10 minutes after struggling for just nine points in the third quarter.
 
Manhattan led for the bulk of the contest in a very evenly contested match-up, taking its largest lead of the afternoon, 45-37, halfway through the third quarter. Held to just one made basket until that point in the second half, Fordham was able to finish the frame with a 7-2 run to cut the deficit to three, 47-44, heading into the final 10 minutes.
 
Senior Mary Goulding, back in the starting lineup after a one-game absence, started the final period with a steal and, later in the possession, a wide open three-pointer. Cavanaugh followed that up with a steal and fast-break layup to put the hosts up two and prompt a Manhattan timeout. The Rams held the lead for the next six minutes until Manhattan regained it on a Sini Makela jumper with 3:38 to play, the middle bucket of a 6-0 run for the visitors. Goulding cut the deficit in half with a jumper and Cavanaugh drained a three-pointer with 1:29 to take back the lead, her lone make from behind the arc in the game.
 
Fouled with 1:04 to play, Julie Hoier missed her first free throw but sank her second attempt to tie the game up, 60-60. On the other end, Cavanaugh missed a mid-range effort but Jonassen came down with the board as Gaitley called a timeout. Out of the break, Cavanaugh missed a three-point attempt but again Jonassen came up with the ball in traffic and laid it back in for the go-ahead bucket, 63-61. Lauren Holden drained both of her free throws down the stretch to put the game out of reach and secure the win.
 
Manhattan outshot the Rams, 44.4% to 40.7%, but Fordham was more efficient from three-point land, 33.3% to 22.2%, and made more free throws, 15-11. The Rams won the battle of the boards, as well, 31-27, including on the offensive glass, 9-7. For a seventh game, Fordham also tallied more assists (10) than turnovers (9), committing single-digit turnovers for a fourth time this year. The Rams enjoyed 16 points off turnovers in the contest, as well.
 
Cavanaugh recorded her second career double-double with season-highs of 27 points and 11 rebounds, adding three assists and a pair of steals over all 40 minutes. Goulding returned to action with nine points, five rebounds, a block, and a steal over 31 minutes and Holden chipped in eight point and three boards. Kendell Heremaia posted an all-around line of seven points, five rebounds, five assists, and a steal over 29 minutes, while Zara Jillings, Kaitlyn Downey, and Jonassen combined for 14 points. The latter two each notched a steal, as well.
 
Fordham travels to Pittsburgh next to take on the Panthers on Wednesday night, December 5^th, at 7 p.m. The Rams will stay local for the remainder of the month, with just one more road contest (at Iona on December 21^st) before the start of Atlantic 10 play on January 4^th.