The Fordham women’s basketball team jumped around coach Stephanie Gaitley as balloons were brought in and a photo op was arranged near center court.
Gaitley had just earned her 600th career victory, a 72-48 romp over St. Bonaventure. Not even Bona’s Mckenna Maycock’s return could prevent the celebration at Rose Hill Gymnasium.
Maycock’s first game action since Dec. 15 was great news for the Bonnies, but foul trouble limited the Randolph native’s effectiveness in her first game back; she was whistled for four fouls and went scoreless in 14 minutes.
Bonaventure played well enough to be in striking distance at halftime, trailing 34-27 after playing the Rams even in the second quarter (17-17).
The third period, however, was all Fordham. The first 10 minutes after intermission are usually the Bonnies’ finest, but after they cut the lead to four a minute and a half in, the Rams went on a 27-2 run over the next eight and a half.
Fordham made nine of its 15 shots from the field in the third, including three three-pointers, while holding SBU to 4-of-14 shooting and gaining a 12-4 rebounding advantage. Bona guard Mariah Ruff was shut out that period after dropping 11 first-half points.
The Bonnies fell to 7-14, 2-6 in the Atlantic 10 while the Rams improved to 16-5, 7-1 and might garner NCAA Tournament discussion.
“We started the third quarter well,” Bona coach Jesse Fleming said. “We missed our doubles on (star G’Mrice) Davis and took some bad shots which allowed them to get it to double-digits.
“We didn’t answer the bell when we got punched. “We were all over the place defensively in the first half and unfortunately it didn’t carry over.”
Ruff scored 17 points, while Arielle Harvey and Emily Calabrese added 11 and 10, respectively. Seven of Ruff’s tallies came from the free throw line, while Calabrese’s 10 shot attempts were her most since Nov. 18 against Eastern Michigan. Calabrese, Danielle Migliore and Jalisha Terry each hauled in five rebounds.
Calabrese held her own against another more experienced big in Davis, but she still had 18 points to lead all scorers and collected a game-high 14 boards. She was joined in double figures by forward Mary Goulding, who had 15 points, and guards Bre Cavanaugh and Lauren Holding, who dropped 14 and 10, respectively.
Bona’s 34 percent shooting output from the floor was its lowest mark since Dec. 17 at Albany, while its 13 percent (2-of-15) clip from three-point range was its lowest since Dec. 4 against Toledo. Its 14 turnovers were down from the 16 it committed in each of the previous two games, but not enough to overcome a poor shooting night.
Once again, Fordham proved itself as the premier defensive team in the Atlantic 10. As for SBU, it hopes to regroup and reacclimate itself with Maycock, who was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder before she was injured against Buffalo.
“Mckenna needed to get her legs under her,” Fleming said. “She was a little tentative with some early foul trouble, but it was great seeing her back out there and she’s only going to get better.
“We’re happy to have her back for the stretch run.”
