Women's Basketball Improves to 4-1 in Atlantic 10 Play with 12-Point Win over Saint Louis

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Bronx, N.Y. – The Fordham women's basketball team used a big 20-5 run in the second half, including 12 unanswered points, to turn a 12-point deficit into a 12-point victory, 66-54, against Saint Louis inside the Rose Hill Gym on Thursday night. With the win, their third straight overall and eighth at home, the Rams improve to 12-6 overall and 4-1 in Atlantic 10 play, while the Billikens fall to 10-9 and 2-4, respectively. Fordham remains in fourth in the league standings behind the three unbeaten teams.
 
"Super proud of the toughness we showed," Head coach Stephanie Gaitley said, "Every game is a battle and we protected our home court!"
 
The Billikens used a 23-15 second quarter to take a 34-29 lead into the half and built their lead up to 12, 43-31, with a 9-2 run to start the second half, prompting a timeout from Gaitley. Out of that break, it was all Rams the rest of the way. The hosts kept Saint Louis off the scoreboard for the final 6:31 of the period while scoring 12 unanswered to tie the game at 43-43 heading to the final 10 minutes. A brief Billiken lead and another tie preceded a Sarah Karpell three-pointer, her lone attempt of the night, which proved to be the go-ahead basket.
 
Things started well for Fordham, scoring the game's first basket, on an Anna DeWolfe jumper, and controller the tempo in the first quarter. The Rams led, 14-11, after the opening 10 minutes and had committed just one turnover. The second period was a different story, though, as they coughed up the ball eight times. Despite shooting 6-of-11 from the field, the Billikens converted 9-of-15 chances, scoring 23 points and committing just two turnovers. A pair of Myia Clark free throws less than a minute into the frame put the visitors on top. Kendra Wilken scored nine points in the quarter to lead the way. The Rams used a few timely baskets to cut into the deficit; first a Kaitlyn Downey three, then a Bre Cavanaugh three-point play, a putback layup by Vilisi Tavui, and finally a last-second three from DeWolfe.
 
It seemed the momentum would remain with the Billikens to start the second half, with Cavanaugh losing the ball to Harbison, who converted on the other end, and, them going up 12 with a quick 5-0 run midway through the period. Out of the media timeout, things started to turn for Fordham. Downey converted a layup off a nice feed by Kendell Heremaia, Cavanaugh hit a jumper in the lane, and then drilled a three at the four-minute mark, bringing the lead back down to five, 43-38. Saint Louis called timeout but the Rams kept it up. Two DeWolfe free throws capped the 12-0 run with 48 seconds remaining.
 
A layup by Wilken put Saint Louis back up to start the fourth but DeWolfe answered with a long-range bomb on the other end. After Downey hit two freebies, Harbison tied the game up with a three following an offensive rebound, 48-48. On the next possession, Cavanaugh found Karpell open in the far corner and the freshman put her team up for good with a swish. The Rams forced the Billikens into three straight turnovers heading into the final media timeout. Cavanaugh then went on a heater, personally outscoring the visitors, 8-2, over the next two minutes, including back-to-back threes. Saint Louis would get back within five but a Downey layup and a DeWolfe jumper put things out of reach, up nine, 61-54, with 1:41 to play; the Billikens were held scoreless the rest of the way.
 
Cavanaugh led the way with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting, 4-of-12 from deep, and 3-of-3 from the line, adding seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals over 40 minutes. During the game, she passed Suzanne Maguire ('97) for fifth all-time in career scoring at Fordham, finishing the contest with 1,495, just two shy of former teammate G'mrice Davis and fourth.
 
DeWolfe and Downey each chipped in double figures, with 14 and 13, respectively. DeWolfe added four boards, two assists, and two steals, while Downey had three rebounds and three dimes over 35 minutes. Heremaia led the Rams in rebounding, with eight, to go with five points, three assists, and a game-high three steals over 29 minutes. Tavui came off the bench to match her career-high six rebounds and contributing three points in 13 minutes.
 
Fordham outshot the Billikens overall, 44.2% to 40.7%, but not from behind the arc, 37.5% to 34.6%. The Rams also converted 11-of-13 free throws. Fordham outrebounded the visitors, 33-30, and committed less turnovers, 14-12. It was the 10^th game this year with nine or more threes, as well, while the 44.2% overall rate was the fourth-highest mark this year.
 
The Rams are right back in action this Sunday in their third nationally televised contest, traveling to Dayton to play at noon on ESPNU.