Jan. 5, 2009

Final Stats

Box Score in PDF Format

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- After Fordham forced overtime on a last second three-point field goal, the Navy women's basketball team scored on its first three possessions of the extra period and eventually recorded a 70-66 victory Monday night at Rose Hill Gym in New York City.

"We showed a lot of mental toughness in overtime tonight," said Navy head coach Stefanie Pemper. "To come out and play as we did in overtime after the difficult way we went into the period says a lot about our team. We quickly overcame our disappointment and played very well right from the tip."

Navy (7-8) led for the majority of the game including by scores of 35-29 at halftime and 49-38 with 14:35 left in regulation. Fordham (7-8) responded with a 12-0 run to take its first lead of the game at 50-49 with 10 minutes left on the clock. That would be the first of six lead changes over the remainder of the regulation.

The Mids soon took a 60-58 lead on a jumper from Cassie Consedine (So., Bartlesville, Okla.) with 47 seconds remaining and gathered in a Fordham missed shot on the other end of the court. Having been called for only five fouls in the half to that point, the Rams had to commit a pair of fouls before the Mids went to the free throw line. The first foul stopped play with 19.2 seconds left, then the second foul with 18.0 seconds remaining sent Angela Myers (So., San Antonio, Texas) to the charity stripe. She made the first attempt to give the Mids a 61-58 lead, but missed her second shot.

Fordham quickly put the ball into the hands of Becky Peters who would drive down the lane towards the hoop. Her attempt was blocked by Consedine, but the Rams maintained possession and kicked it out to Randall Hurst who buried a game-tying trey with 5.7 seconds left.

As Navy rushed the ball to its offensive side of halfcourt, it was knocked free and into the hands of the Rams. Hurst would gather the loose ball and launched a halfcourt shot at the buzzer that was wide right, a result that forced overtime.

The Rams came away empty on their first trip down the floor in the extra period, then Myers was sent to the foul line on the first possession for the Mids. She again made the first and missed the second of her attempts. However, Consedine would soon be fouled and she too made 1-of-2 attempts from the charity stripe.

After a Fordham turnover gave the ball back to Navy, Consedine hit a short jumper to give Navy a 65-61 lead. The Rams would miss a field goal attempt the next time they had the ball, then the Navy lead grew to 68-61 when Emily Cordle buried her fourth three-point field goal of the game with 2:47 left on the clock.

A Peters three-pointer made the score 68-64 then, after the teams traded turnovers and Navy missed a shot, Peters hit another jumper to cut the margin to two points with 44.4 seconds remaining.

Following a Fordham timeout, the Mids threw the inbounds pass the length of the court to a sprinting Myers. Once she caught up to the ball under the basket she pump faked in an attempt to get her defender into the air. She succeeded, but was called for traveling to send the ball back to the Rams.

Annie Zapf then drove the baseline for the Rams, but her shot went long and into the hands of players from both teams. The possession arrow pointed to Navy allowing the Mids to inbound the ball under the Fordham basket with 17.2 seconds showing. After the inbounds pass, the Rams fouled Kristin Bowen (Jr., Monroesville, N.J.) with 12.9 seconds left on the clock. She made both free throws to give Navy a 70-66 lead.

Navy's defense promptly gave Fordham time to get only one shot off before the buzzer, which missed.

Fordham made more field goals in the game than Navy did -- 27-24 -- but the Mids made eight three-point field goals and 14 free throws while the Rams ended the contest with seven treys and five free throws. The Mids also held a 43-32 advantage on the glass, which helped offset Navy's -10 turnover margin (22-12).

Navy had four players score in double figures and four players haul in at least five rebounds. Consedine led the Mids with 18 points, while K.C. Gordon (Jr., Vienna, Va.) scored a season-high 14 points and Cordle and Myers each contributed 12 points. Consedine, Myers and Kalen Kropa (Sr., Reidsville, N.C.) each hauled in eight boards, with Kropa also recording eight assists.

"K.C. and Emily both really played well for us tonight, and we needed them," said Pemper. "This was a good road win for us, especially with winning the way we did."

Hurst led Fordham with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Peters scored 18 points for the Rams.

Navy will open Patriot League play Saturday at Bucknell.