Richmond Leader

RAMS DROP LATE HEARTBREAKER AT FORDHAM

Final Score: Fordham 60, VCU 59

Location: Bronx, N.Y. (Rose Hill Gym)

Records: VCU 3-11 (0-2 A-10), Fordham 10-5 (2-0 A-10)

 

The Short Story: In VCU's first Atlantic 10 battle on the road, the Rams came up just short as Jennifer Ezeh's game-winning layup at the buzzer was called off after a review to end the game.

 

OPENING TIP: 

• Sarah Te-Biasu led the way for the Rams with 21 points, three assists and she added two rebounds.
• Mykel Parham finished with her first career double-double, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds (team-high).
• Janika Griffith-Wallace added 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, finishing with two rebounds and two steals.
• VCU's bench outscored Fordham's bench 23-6. VCU also owned the paint, outscoring Fordham 28-22.
• Fordham's Asiah Dingle finished with a game-high 23 points on 9-of-21 shooting from the floor.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

• VCU came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and was led by Te-Biasu who scored the first five points of the game.
• With just 31 seconds left in the opening period, Parham nailed a jump shot in the paint to extend VCU's lead to nine points, giving them an 18-9 lead heading into the second quarter.
• Going a perfect 2-for-2 from beyond the arc in the second quarter, Griffith-Wallace paced VCU finishing with a quarter-high eight points.
• In what was almost a repeat of the end of the first quarter, Parham was fed in the post and after making a move put home the basket with 31 seconds left to extend VCU's lead to 33-27 heading into the break.
• At the end of the opening half, Te-Biasu (13 points) and Griffith-Wallace (12 points) had scored in double figures for VCU, and the Rams entered the half shooting 53 percent from the floor.
• In the third quarter, Fordham would outscore VCU 21-13. Fordham's third quarter would give them a 48-46 at the end of the third quarter.
• During the third quarter, VCU got consistent scoring from Ezeh who finished scoring four points in the period on 2-of-4 shooting and she grabbed three rebounds.
• Trailing, 49-56, midway through the fourth quarter VCU came out of the final media timeout and used a 7-0 run, which was started by a Grace Hutson three-point basket to wrangle Fordham back.
• Over the final three minutes, both sides traded leads and with 1:10 left in the game, Parham again answered the call. Grabbing a rebound, she quickly went back up to nail a basket to give VCU a late lead, 59-58.
• Fordham answered and coming out of their final timeout Dingle hit a jumper to give Fordham the lead, 60-59, leaving just over a second on the clock.
• In the final possession, VCU's Ezeh took the inbound pass, using one dribble she faced the basket and attacked the rim, nailing a layup at the buzzer. But following a review by the official, the ball was only barely still on Ezeh's fingertips when the clock hit zero and after waiving off the basket, Fordham had locked up the 60-59 win.

Original source can be found here