STONY BROOK, N.Y. – A true test of determination Sunday afternoon Fordham University women’s basketball defeated Stony Brook 64-55 on Long Island, in a game that saw the two sides battle for momentum from start to finish.
Neither team managed to take more than a two-score lead at any point through the first three quarters of play, with Fordham pulling away early in the fourth quarter and never looking back to seal their second victory in a row and improve to 4-3 on the year, while Stony Brook dropped to 3-4.
Irene Murua led the Rams Sunday night, tying her career-high with 23 points on 7-of-10 makes from the floor, while also going a perfect 9-of-9 from the free throw line. One of three Rams to finish in double figures, Chaé Harris would tally 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting, ahead of Talyor Donaldson with 14 points on the night.
Having another career game, Kaila Berry drilled 4-of-7 shots from the floor while also collecting four steals and also helped lead the rebounding effort, tied with Murua on the glass with eight rebounds apiece.
Exchanging baskets through the opening frame, Stony Brook led by just two after one quarter of play, with neither side pulling away by more than two scores. That back-and-forth play continued through the first half, with Fordham outscoring the Seawolves by two points to draw level at the break, 27-all.
Scoring 11 of the Rams’ 15 points in the third quarter, Murua sank 4-of-5 shots in the period along with a trio of free throws on as many attempts. Fordham pushed back from down four points early as the two teams jockeyed for momentum into the second half, garnering a two score-lead late, to head into the fourth up 42-38.
A pair of Murua free throws to end the third were followed with consecutive three-pointers from Harris to open the final frame, and extend the biggest lead of the night at that point for either side at 10 points. After the Seawolves nailed a three of their own to halt the run, Donaldson would answer right back with another Fordham trey to make it 51-41 with 5:27 to go.
That lead was all the Rams needed, maintaining at least a six point cushion the rest of the way, answering each attempt by Stony Brook to draw level in the closing stages of the game, going up as much as 11 with a series of free throws in the final seconds.
Fordham will look to make it three in a row when they head up I-95 to the Nutmeg State Wednesday afternoon for a meeting with Yale at 6:00 p.m. in New Haven.
