NEW YORK – For stock cars on the high banks at the Annual Daytona 500 this afternoon and evening, it's key to save fuel throughout to be able to push full throttle towards the end of a stage. Unfortunately Fordham University women's basketball suffered the same result as 40 of 41 NASCAR drivers Sunday, as VCU saved its energy before mashing the gas in the second half Sunday to break away to the checkers for a 76-57 win in a Battle of the Rams at the Rose Hill Gym.
Sunday was also the Rams' Play4Kay game, joining a nationwide women's college basketball initiative for breast cancer awareness, in the memory of former N.C. State Head Coach Kay Yow, who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, and sadly passed away in 2009, after a 22-year, on-again, off-again battle with the disease. Coach Yow fought her battle in the public arena, with the hope to inspire others to make a difference in a fight that impacts each and every one of us.
Thanks to the support of the Ramily throughout Saturday's game, Fordham women's basketball helped raise over $1,000 dollars for the Kay Yow fund, the 18th highest donation total of any team in the nation to help reach the national goal of $500,000 raised. Every dollar counts and you can join the fight by clicking here to help make a difference in defeating this terrible disease.
Combining for 48 points in the opening ten minutes of action, the Maroon and White found themselves down just four after one quarter, and just six at the half after another high scoring affair in the second frame. Visiting VCU found some extra horsepower in the second half to outscore Fordham 32-19 in the final 20 minutes of action.
Three Fordham players finished the day in double figures, led by Irene Murua who totaled 15 points on 7-of-11 shots, along with a team high eight rebounds and four assists. Alongside her, Taya Davis added ten points and four assists as well, while Amiyah Ferguson posted a career high 10 points off the bench.
The Battle of the Rams sees Fordham drop to 13-12 on the year and 7-7 in league play with four games to go before the Atlantic 10 Championship in early March.
Taking a 10-9 lead through the first four minutes of action Sunday, VCU eventually broke out to a ten point lead down the stretch in the opening quarter, ahead of consecutive threes by the home Rams to cut it back down to a two-score game.
A strong start to the second quarter saw the Maroon and White rally to take just their second lead of the night with 5:22 left in the half. VCU closed the frame on a 9-4 run, to pull back in front by six as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
Out of the break, the visitors slowly worked on stretching their advantage, breaking out to a 10 point lead with four minutes to go in the third, and took back a double digit lead to start the fourth, and continued to keep their foot to the floor, surging away down the stretch for the win.
Fordham return to action Wednesday in the penultimate home game of the year, hosting Duquesne at the Rose Hill Gym Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and the YES Network.
