Dayton, Ohio – Gone are the days of Fordham and Dayton women's basketball defensive slugfests as the Rams defeated the Flyers, 82-66, on Sunday afternoon at UD Arena, the first time since 2018 that both teams have scored over 60 points and just the third time since 2014 with a combined score higher than 125. With the win, Fordham improves to 11-5 overall and 3-0 in league play, while Dayton falls to 2-12 and 1-2, respectively.
The Flyers took it to the Rams early, beginning the game with eight unanswered points, all in the paint, before an
Anna DeWolfe midrange jumper got the visitors on the board. The senior kept her team afloat with back-to-back three-pointers after the hosts had raced out to a 10-point lead, 12-2, in just over four minutes. Fordham began to find its groove and finished the period down six, 21-15.
Out of the break, it wasn't long before the Rams claimed their first lead, 24-23, on a
Megan Jonassen bucket to cap a 9-2 start to the second quarter. The Flyers quickly retook the lead until a
Matilda Flood three two minutes later and, after an Anyssa Jones free throw put Dayton up one, 30-29, with 2:30 to play, the Rams closed the half with a slim 4-2 advantage to carry a one-point lead, 33-32, into the break. After allowing 21 points to the Flyers on 55.6% shooting in the opening frame, the defense held them to just 11 points on 28.6% shooting in the second.
Both teams came out firing in the third, combining for 20 points over the opening four minutes as Fordham opened up a seven-point lead, 46-39. A shade under two minutes earlier, DeWolfe had put the Rams back up for good, 38-37, on a jumper in the paint. Fordham's lead would reach double figures for the first time later in the period, 53-43, on a
Jada Dapaa fastbreak layup following a DeWolfe steal, although the Flyers would get the deficit back down to six, 57-51, by the end of the quarter.
A Destiny Bohanon triple, three of her team-high 18 points, on Dayton's first possession in the fourth made it a three-point game but soon after it was all Fordham. Following an Arianna Smith long two with 8:11 to play, Fordham outscored Dayton, 22-10, starting with an
Asiah Dingle three right after Smith's make.
DeWolfe finished with a game-high 22 points, her sixth 20-point game of the season, hitting 9-of-22 shots, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc, with four assists, two rebounds, and two steals across 37 minutes. Dingle complimented her with 19 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four steals in the same time, while both Dapaa and
Kaitlyn Downey finished in double figures, as well. The former scored a season-high 15 points on 5-of-11 shooting, adding eight rebounds, three offensive, three dimes, a block, and a steal, the latter hit half of her eight attempts, two from deep, for 10 points plus four boards, three blocks, and a steal.
Megan Jonassen corralled four offensive board of seven total and finished one point shy of joining the others in double digits.
Sarah Karpell posted five assists, while Flood once again contributed across the board with five points, four boards, a block, and a steal over 18 minutes off the bench.
Fordham was barely outshot by Dayton, 43.3% to 43.2%, taking 14 more attempts from the field, and were outshot 50.0% to 40.9% from deep but with four more makes. Both teams hauled in 39 rebounds, the Rams tallying 11 offensive rebounds to the Flyers' seven. The visitors turned the ball over just 10 times, while the hosts committed 21, although points off turnovers was in Fordham's favor by only five, 20-15. It's the first time since 2013-14, the year Fordham won its first Atlantic 10 title, that the Rams have had four 80-point games, all wins both seasons.
The Rams remain on the road to face George Washington on Wednesday at noon on ESPN+ and WFUV.
