Women's Basketball Goes Wire-to-Wire in Win over George Washington

Highlights

Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team got back in the win column on Sunday on national television with a 53-47 victory over visiting George Washington. The Rams never trailed. With the win, Fordham improves to 10-6 overall and 2-1 in Atlantic 10 play, while the Colonials fall to 7-9 and 1-2, respectively.
 
"Great defensive win," Head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "I'm proud of the kids for matching their run and getting big defensive stops."
 
Despite the result and the fact the hosts never fell behind, things grew more and more tense as the second half wore on as George Washington whittled down a 12-point deficit to one late in the third. The Rams built their lead back up to as much as eight in the fourth but the Colonials rallied again to get within two with under a minute to play. An offensive foul call and Fordham free throws saw out the game for the hosts.
 
Things started out very well for Fordham over the opening 10 minutes, building a 15-6 advantage while holding George Washington to just 3-of-13 shoot, including 0-of-4 from behind the arc, while converting 40.0% of their own shots. On the game's first possession Anna DeWolfe shook off her defender and canned a mid-range jumper with what would prove to be the go-ahead basket. Fordham scored nine unanswered points to open the game and led, 15-4, with three minutes left. In the first quarter alone, Kendell Heremaia racked up four steals, while Bre Cavanaugh scored eight. However, the former fell into early foul trouble, while the latter was held scoreless until the fourth quarter. The Rams took the second quarter slightly, 12-11, with DeWolfe, Kaitlyn Downey, and Sarah Karpell combining for all of Fordham's points in the frame while missing just two shots.
 
Heremaia hit a jumper following a Downey steal to extend the lead to 12, the largest of the game, after a minute had gone by in the third period. The Colonials began to whittle down the lead and got within one, 36-35, with a 15-4 run, mirroring Fordham's start to the contest. Downey came up clutch with a big three following George Washington's last basket, an Alexandra Maund jumper, to finish the frame on a good note and taking a four-point lead into the final 10 minutes. Downey made it back-to-back possessions with a triple, draining one just nine seconds into the quarter. Heremaia saw a lay-up fall to push the advantage to eight, 44-36, but that's when things began to turn in the visitors' favor again. Up three, 44-41, DeWolfe converted a three-point attempt, her second of the game, from the far corner coming out of the final media timeout with four minutes to play. Coach Gaitley called a timeout with 54 seconds remaining following an Ariel Stephenson long two-pointer with the score 49-47. Heremaia saw a three-point try rim out but Tori Hyduke was called for an offensive foul on the other end with just 18 seconds remaining to give Fordham possession. Fouls and free throws by Cavanaugh and Heremaia saw out the win for the Rams.
 
Heremaia led the way offensively with a game-high 14 points with six rebounds, four steals, and an assist but six turnovers across 29 minutes. Downey was next with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, 3-of-6 from deep, with a team-high seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block over 33 minutes. Cavanaugh scored 12 with six boards and finished tied for the team-high in assists alongside Zara Jillings off the bench, with three. DeWolfe chipped in 10 points and Karpelle added four.
 
The Rams outshot the Colonials, 37.0% to 35.7%, including a 30.8% to 23.1% mark from behind the arc. George Washington took more free throws, nine, but made less than Fordham's five, hitting just four. The visitors did win the battle of the boards, however, with a 36-29 margin, including 10-6 on the offensive glass. Fordham forced George Washington into 15 turnovers but committed 13 themselves to go along with 13 assists. Fordham held a 14-4 advantage on points off turnovers, while the Colonials scored 12 second-chance points.
 
The Rams will look to create a new win streak when they travel to George Mason on Sunday afternoon, January 19. That game, also to be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, will tip-off at 4 p.m.