Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham women's basketball suffered an 82-75 overtime defeat to visiting Fairfield on Wednesday night. With the loss, the Rams fall to 4-4 on the year.
Fordham led for the majority of the contest but never by more than eight points, as the Stags continued to battle and chip away at their deficit. The Rams, led by
Kaitlyn Downey's career-high 25 points and full stat line, traded makes with the Stags throughout the fourth until the visitors finished the contest with a 5-0 run over the final two minutes to force overtime. Fairfield scored eight unanswered points to begin the extra period and held at least a four-point advantage or better the rest of the way to see out the victory.
22 of Callie Cavanaugh's 30 points came over the final 25 minutes, as did Janelle Brown's final 14 points, to lead Fairfield. On a night in which
Anna DeWolfe's shot was not dropping, finishing with nine points on 4-of-21 shooting across all 45 minutes, it was Downey and
Asiah Dingle to lead the offense, the former pouring in a career-best 25 points and seven three-pointers, the latter number tied for fifth-most in a single game, with a season-high 17 rebounds, four blocks, two assists, and a steal over 33 minutes. Dingle contributed 21 points, five rebounds, five dimes, and two steals. DeWolfe led the way with a season-high six assists, plus three steals and a block, while
Megan Jonassen scored nine points, including a last-second three in overtime to make it a four-point game, with six rebounds.
The Rams took the fourth-most field goal attempts, 79, and fifth-most three-point attempts, 36, hitting 13 of the latter, tied for fifth in a single game in program history. Fordham shot 36.7%, though, and 36.1% from distance, while the Stags shot 45.7% overall, 48.7% after halftime, and 37.5% from behind the arc, despite converting 12-of-21 free-throw attempts. Fairfield also won the rebounding battle, 47-40, but committed one more turnover, 14-13. Fordham's seven blocks are tied for sixth-most, as well.
Fordham returns to action on Saturday at Manhattan for the 52
nd Battle of the Bronx, tipping off at 2 p.m.
