Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball program has announced its out-of-conference schedule for the upcoming 2018-19 season, which begins with an exhibition against NYIT on Saturday evening, November 3
rd, and kicks off officially against Wagner six days later in the Rose Hill Gym. Highlights include seven home contests, including Penn State, and seven road contests, including at Pittsburgh and Georgetown, plus the Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving weekend.
"We are excited to have another really challenging nonconference schedule," Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "Our Florida trip is loaded with Top 25 teams and our Holiday tournament features four teams who all made the postseason last year. This schedule will certainly prepare us for the Atlantic 10 battles."
The Rams will prepare for the long season ahead with an exhibition on November 3
rd against visiting NYIT at 6 p.m. Six days later, the squad will host Wagner at 7 p.m. on November 9
th in its first official game action of the year. The team won't have to wait long for its first road trip, though, as it travels to Northeastern less than 48 hours later to play the Huskies on Sunday, November 11
th, at 1 p.m. in Boston.
Fordham will then return home for two straight games on Rose Hill, first hosting Penn State on Wednesday night, November 14
th, at 7 p.m., before welcoming Charlotte to the Gym that Sunday, November 18
th, at 2:30 p.m. The Rams will then head down to southwest Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase where they are guaranteed three games over three consecutive days, starting on November 23
rd.
Fordham will next travel to Georgetown for the second time in three years, last since the team's comeback win over the Hoyas in the opening round of the 2017 WNIT, on Thursday, November 29
th, and then return home to host Manhattan in the 50
th Battle of the Bronx on Saturday, December 1
st, at 2 p.m. The Rams will again take to the road for a midweek contest at Pittsburgh, after hosting and defeating the Panthers, 63-60, a season ago, which is set for Wednesday, December 5
th.
The squad will return to host Columbia on Tuesday, December 11
th at 6 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the men's team before traveling to nearby Iona after a 10-day break. That game is set for Friday, December 21
st.
After the holiday break, Fordham will round out its nonconference slate with its 12
th annual Holiday Classic, featuring Maine, Chattanooga, and Middle Tennessee State, over December 29
th and 30
th. The Rams will kick things off against Maine on the 29
th at 1 p.m.
Fordham went 10-5 during last year's nonconference slate and 24-10 overall, the fifth 20-win campaign during Gaitley's seven seasons at the helm. The Rams matched the program's furthest postseason run by reaching the WNIT Sweet Sixteen for a second time, the first coming in 2012-13. The team's 24 wins were fifth most in program history, as well.
