With the 2020 spring sports seasons cancelled by the COVID-19 outbreak, we at Fordham have decided to dig back through our archives and provide our fans with content on some of the outstanding teams and student-athletes who have graced Rose Hill over the years.
 
Bronx, N.Y. (March 23, 2013) – The 2012-13 campaign was just the second for Fordham women's basketball under head coach Stephanie Gaitley, but it was the program's finest season in nearly 20 years, with the Rams finishing with a 26-9 record, a trip to the Atlantic 10 championship game, and the school's participation in the WNIT for the first time, reaching the Sweet 16. On this day seven years ago, the Rams hosted and defeated Boston University, 58-44, in the second round.
 
Fordham was led by a trio of double-digit scorers in the contest, led by graduate student Marah Strickland, who tallied a game-high 14 points, and followed by 12 points apiece from Arielle Collins and Erin Rooney. Samantha Clark chipped in nine points and six boards, while current Director of Basketball Operations Abigail Corning posted a typical stat-stuffing line of six points, six boards, and four assists.
 
The Rams used a 15-2 run in the first half after falling behind 6-2 in the opening minutes and led by nine, 28-19, at halftime. With the lead down to five early in the second half, Clark knocked down a corner three to provide some cushion and kickstart another run. Clark made it a double-figure advantage with a layup and Collins made it 12 with a pair of free throws. The Terriers would rally to get within six, 41-35, but that was the closest they would get. Strickland banked in a floater and, after four minutes of scoreless action, Rooney pushed the lead back to double digits for the last time with a layup. Led by Collins, who hit all eight of her free throws, the Rams saw out the game by going 9-of-12 from the stripe in the waning moments.
 
Fordham held Boston to 32.7% shooting, while hitting 36.0% of its own shots and converting 17-of-22 from the charity stripe. The Rams outrebounded the Terriers, 41-33, and scored 18 points off of 13 Boston turnovers.
 
The Rams' season ended a few days later at James Madison in the Round of 16, but the 26 wins remain the second-most in program history and Gaitley's squad took the next step a year later, earning their first Atlantic 10 crown. The year prior, Fordham was 12-18 overall and 3-11 in league play, and were a few seasons removed from a winless campaign. Since the start of the 2012-13 season, Fordham has a 178-88 record and two A-10 titles. 
 
The 2012-13 squad saw a Ram named to the All-Conference First Team for the first time in junior Erin Rooney, while Strickland earned Second Team distinction, Collins rightfully garnered a spot on the All-Defensive squad, and Clark was picked for the All-Rookie team.
 
Fordham was bolstered by its typical stingy defense, finishing the season in the top-20 nationally and second all-time in school history with just 52.4 points allowed per game. They were also tremendous on the offensive glass, hauling in 436 on that end, also second-most in program history, and converted 76.7% of their free-throw attempts, not third after this year's record-setting performance at the line.
 
On the year, the Rams were led by Strickland's 15.1 points per game in her lone season in maroon and white. Erin Rooney in her first of two years on Rose Hill chipped in 13.9 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, and handed out 130 assists, ninth-most in school history. The trio of Collins, Corning, and Clark all averaged between eight and nine points per contest, with all five starting 29 games or more. Collins and Corning handed out 95 and 92 assists, respectively, with Collins also notching 79 steals, while Clark swatted 50 shots.