Davidson, N.C. – In a typically testy, defensive battle between Fordham women's basketball and Davidson, it was the Rams to prevail, 63-51, utilizing a terrific defensive effort, clutch offensive stretches, and the team's first 50-rebound effort since 2015. With the win, their third straight on the road to begin league play and fourth straight overall, Fordham improves to 13-4 on the year and 4-1 in conference action, while the Wildcats fall to 11-5 and 2-2, respectively.
"So proud of the defense and rebounding tonight against a really talented Davidson team." Head coach
Stephanie Gaitley said, "We have been challenging the kids in those areas and they responded in a big way. Some great offensive performances by Anna, Asiah, and Kene, but we picked Sarah and Meg as our players of the game – total team effort!"
Fordham led for all but 57 seconds on Friday night, coming out of the gates hot with a 21-point first quarter and eventually leading by seven, 31-24, at halftime. A sign of things to come, both teams shot 50.0% from the floor over the first 10 minutes but Fordham did so on eight more attempts, outrebounded the hosts, 11-4, in the frame alone, five coming on the offensive end. Things slowed down in the second with Davidson outscoring Fordham, 13-10, and closing the half on a 5-0 run over the final two minutes. At the break
Anna DeWolfe and
Asiah Dingle each had 11 points,
Kendell Heremaia had five points, five boards, and a steal, and
Megan Jonassen and
Sarah Karpell combined for four offensive rebounds of eight total.
Davidson carried its momentum into the second half, scoring five unanswered points while the Rams missed their first six shots, prompting a Gaitley timeout and a two-point game, 31-29. Dingle got to the line on the next possession, hitting one free throw, and found
Maranda Nyborg open down low for an easy lay-in moments later to create some separation. Karpell found DeWolfe for a timely three after an offensive rebound and then, following an Elle Sutphin jumper to get back within two, assisted on a Heremaia triple. Back-to-back baskets in the paint from Heremaia and DeWolfe brought the score back to eight, 44-36, and DeWolfe made it a double-digit lead once more on the next possession on a midrange jumper. The Rams led by eight, 46-38, heading to the fourth.
Defense took over again for most of the fourth quarter with both schools combining for just three field goals nearly seven minutes in, but Fordham sank 9-of-12 free throws in the period and Heremaia sank back-to-back long-range bombs down the stretch to see out the double-digit victory.
For the Rams, it was 15 second-chance points that helped lead the way, hauling in a season-high 20 offensive rebounds, while for the Wildcats it was 15 points off Fordham turnovers. The Rams outrebounded Davidson, 50-29, on the night, 20-6 in on-boards, while outshooting them, 37.1% to 36.5%, on 10 more attempts. Both teams struggled from distance, the visitors hitting 7-of-26 (26.9%), but the hosts hitting just 2-of-11 (18.2%). Neither team shot well from the charity stripe – Davidson hitting just 11-of-19 attempts (57.9%) and Fordham converting 10-of-18 (55.6%), including 1-of-6 over the first three quarters.
DeWolfe notched her 11
th 20-point game of the season, hitting the number exactly, with three rebounds and two assists across all 40 minutes. Both Dingle and Heremaia finished with 18 points, the former shooting 5-of-12 overall and 7-of-12 from the line, the latter hitting 7-of-15 overall and 4-of-8 from beyond the arc. Dingle added six rebounds, two steals, and an assist, while Heremaia hauled in nine rebounds. Jonassen grabbed 10 rebounds, six on the offensive glass, and Karpell added seven more, three offensive.
The Rams now travel up to Dayton to play the Flyers on Sunday at noon on ESPNU.
