By Drew Casey
Fordham Women’s Basketball begins their 2015-2016 season on Sunday at Penn State. (Drew DiPane/The Fordham Ram)
Ahead of its regular season opener, Fordham Women’s Basketball blew out Division II Caldwell University 88-59 on Sunday afternoon at the Rose Hill Gym.
The team, featuring nine returning players and seven newcomers, made positive strides, according to fifth-year head coach Stephanie Gaitley.
“I thought we showed improvement from last week’s scrimmage against Stony Brook,” Gaitley said. “We are going to be a work in progress as we see a lot of new faces taking the court. I think we will have better idea of the identity of this team after 10 games.”
In the sport’s new four ten-minute quarter format, Fordham jumped out to an early 11-2 lead in the first stanza behind the early success of senior forward Samantha Clark and sophomore forward G’mrice Davis. The team led 14-6 after the first ten minutes.
Davis went on to lead the Rams with 22 points in the contest, netting 11 of her 13 field goal attempts, and also pulling down a team-best 12 rebounds in the exhibition. Davis’ career game-highs in points, field goals and rebounds from last season are 19, 8 and 10, respectively.
“’G’ [G’mrice] continues to improve every week,” Gaitley said. “We have been working on her being a threat both inside and outside. She has better discipline on the defensive end. We are a better team when she is on the court.”
In the second quarter, the Rams offense extended their lead by exploding for 27 points. After surrendering the first basket of the quarter, the team went on a 17-4 run, helped by threes from junior Hannah Missry, sophomore Aaliyah Jones and freshman Lauren Holden. The Rams led 41-18 at the halftime break.
The Cougars showed signs of life out of halftime in the third quarter, outscoring Fordham 23-18 to cut their overall deficit to 59-41. Fordham committed eight of its 18 turnovers in the quarter and was out rebounded 10-9 in the period.
The Rams came out a bit stronger in the fourth quarter, scoring 29 points to easily seal the win against the local opponent.
Aside from Davis, Clark helped lead the way for Fordham with a double-double of her own, netting 13 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
“I think Sam has finally come into her own and has been the most consistent and impressive performer the entire pre- season,” Gaitley said.
Missry turned in 14 points on the afternoon, making four of her six three point attempts, and Jones contributed ten points and a game-high six assists.
Junior Danielle Burns and freshman Alexia Douglas each recorded seven points in the win as well.
While the identity of the team might be unknown until mid-December or until the Atlantic 10 season begins on Saturday, Jan. 2, there is one thing that Fordham certainly hopes to be right from the beginning.
“We will continue to build on being the best defensive team we can be,” Gaitley said. “Our backcourt is young so it will be important for us to keep things simple.”
Under Gaitley, Fordham has consistently been close to the top of the nation across various defensive statistical categories, including defensive points per game.
Fordham’s first regular season game is this Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. in University Park, Pennsylvania, against Penn State.
