By Sam Belden
The Rams went 1-1 over the last week. (Samuel Joseph/The Fordham Ram)
Last Wednesday, the Fordham women’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to Saint Joseph’s. The Rams kept it close for the first three quarters but were outscored by eight in the last, resulting in the 61-51 defeat. On Saturday, however, the team bounced back, downing La Salle 54-44. After the split week, Fordham’s Atlantic 10 record stands at 7-5.
Things started out well for the Rams in the first game, held at Saint Joseph’s. Thanks to a three-pointer from junior guard Hannah Missry, they were able to open up a three-point lead, the largest of the first quarter, with 6:53 to play. From there, however, the Hawks battled back, and by the end of the quarter, they had claimed an advantage of two.
In the second quarter, Fordham’s offense was significantly flatter. The team did not make a shot from the field until junior guard Danielle Burns converted on a layup with 5:27 remaining in the half. Meanwhile, the Hawks kept pushing, extending the lead to seven at one point. Fordham ended the quarter on a 6-2 run, controlling the damage and putting the halftime score at 28-25. Burns’ 10 points led the way for the Rams.
The game’s third quarter was marked by an explosive performance from sophomore forward G’mrice Davis. Due to foul trouble, the Philadelphia native played only eight minutes in the first half, but ended up dropping 13 of Fordham’s 18 points in the period. On two occasions – both thanks to successful shots from Davis – the Rams were able to cut Saint Joseph’s lead to a single point, but they failed to even the score. Going into the final quarter, the score was 45-43.
The Hawks made the first strike in the fourth quarter, but Davis drained a jumper to keep the deficit at two with 8:07 remaining. From there, Saint Joseph’s took control, going on a 14-4 run that lasted until the game’s final 30 seconds. Over that stretch, the Rams made just two of their 12 shots from the field, effectively handing the game to the opposition. When the final buzzer sounded, the final score was 61-51.
“We can’t allow our offense to affect our defense,” said head coach Stephanie Gaitley. “Defense needs to dictate our game, and the offense will take care of itself.”
Davis delivered the standout performance for Fordham, dropping 19 points and adding seven rebounds. Burns scored 12, most of which came during the first half.
From there, Fordham returned home for its Saturday showdown with La Salle. During the game, the Rams wore pink uniforms to raise awareness for women’s cancer as part of the Play 4Kay initiative.
Fordham got off to a hot start in the first quarter, despite being without Davis in the lineup due to injury. By the five-minute mark, they had opened up a six-point lead, thanks in part to a pair of three-pointers from Burns and Missry. However, the Explorers scored the next four points and cut the lead to two by the end of the quarter.
The Rams continued their good play in the second quarter, quickly extending the lead to eight thanks in part to a pair of jumpers from senior forward Samantha Clark. With 3:41 remaining, the margin remained the same, but the Explorers caught fire from there, closing the first half by going on a 10-0 run. The halftime score stood at 27-25.
For the first part of the third quarter, the two sides wrestled over the lead. A three-pointer from junior forward Danielle Padovano put the Rams back on top by one, and when La Salle responded, Clark converted on a three-point play to tie the score at 33. From there, things really started to pick up for Fordham, which went on an 11-2 run to end the quarter. With one period remaining, the score was 44-35.
While the final quarter was more evenly matched than the third. the Explorers were unable to find any real momentum. They were outscored again, albeit by just one point, and the Rams essentially treaded water en route to the victory – Fordham’s first of the season when trailing at halftime. The final score was 54-44.
After the game, Coach Gaitley spoke of the win’s importance. “We were coming off a loss and we were short on players,” she said. “Danielle Padovano did a great job stepping in for G’mrice Davis.”
Burns led the way for Fordham with 19 points, while Clark drained 17 and added 13 rebounds, good for her 11th double-double of the season. Padovano scored a season-high 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
On Wednesday, Feb. 17, the team will head down to Virginia for a showdown with Richmond. After that, the Rams return to Rose Hill to host Saint Louis.
