The original leader of "Fury" is now firmly in control at Minnesota.
Introducing Beth O'Boyle, the new head basketball coach at VCU. O'Boyle took part at a press conference on Tuesday at the Siegel Center as head men's coach Shaka Smart looked on in support.
For a complete review of the event, and a look at O'Boyle's career up to now, click HERE for a fine (as always) read from Vic Dorr at the Times-Dispatch.
RVA Sports Network Coverage of Women's Basketball, Part of Our Year Of Women's Sports Initiative!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Monday, March 17, 2014
SELECTION MONDAY!!
Congratulations to the Dayton Flyers, Fordham Rams and St. Joseph's Hawks, who all received bids to the 2014 NCAA Women's Tournament tonight!
Dayton, the regular season Atlantic 10 Champion, is a #6 seed and will face #11 seed Florida on Sunday at 3pm in University Park, PA in the Stanford Region.
Fordham, the Atlantic 10 Tournament Champion, received the conference's automatic bid as a #10 seed, and will face #7 California on Saturday at 4pm in Waco, Texas in the Notre Dame Region.
St. Joseph's received a bid as a #9 seed, and will battle #8 Georgia on Sunday at 5:30pm in Storrs, Connecticut in the Lincoln Region.
******
In addition, four Atlantic 10 teams, VCU, Duquesne, George Washington and St. Bonaventure, all received bits to the 2014 WNIT.
UPDATE: VCU will travel to Princeton for a first round game on Thursday, March 20th, while Duquesne will host Mount St. Mary's Friday. March 21st in a first round game. George Washington will host East Carolina in Washington on Wednesday night, March 19th at 7pm, and St. Bonaventure receives a home game against Charlotte on Friday night in Olean, New York.
WATCH: Check out tonight's Dayton Flyers celebration and announcement party courtesy of their YouTube Channel by CLICKING HERE!
Dayton, the regular season Atlantic 10 Champion, is a #6 seed and will face #11 seed Florida on Sunday at 3pm in University Park, PA in the Stanford Region.
Fordham, the Atlantic 10 Tournament Champion, received the conference's automatic bid as a #10 seed, and will face #7 California on Saturday at 4pm in Waco, Texas in the Notre Dame Region.
St. Joseph's received a bid as a #9 seed, and will battle #8 Georgia on Sunday at 5:30pm in Storrs, Connecticut in the Lincoln Region.
******
In addition, four Atlantic 10 teams, VCU, Duquesne, George Washington and St. Bonaventure, all received bits to the 2014 WNIT.
UPDATE: VCU will travel to Princeton for a first round game on Thursday, March 20th, while Duquesne will host Mount St. Mary's Friday. March 21st in a first round game. George Washington will host East Carolina in Washington on Wednesday night, March 19th at 7pm, and St. Bonaventure receives a home game against Charlotte on Friday night in Olean, New York.
WATCH: Check out tonight's Dayton Flyers celebration and announcement party courtesy of their YouTube Channel by CLICKING HERE!
Sunday, March 9, 2014
CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY: Fordham Wins First Atlantic 10 Title....
The Fordham Rams finished their 2009-10 season at 8-22. They followed that with a 12-19 mark, a coaching change, and a 12-18 season.
The turnaround began in head coach Stephanie Gaitley's second season, 2012-13, when the Rams vaulted from 12th to 3rd in the Atlantic 10, moving from 3-11 to 12-2, and advancing to their first Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game, where they fell to St. Joseph's 47-46.
Mark March 9, 2014 in the Rams' history books where the turnaround should be deemed complete.
Fordham used timely shooting, tremendous tenacity on the boards, especially on the offensive end, and a fighter's mentality to figuratively and literally knock off the number-one seed, the Dayton Flyers, 63-51 in the 2014 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament Championship Sunday afternoon at the Richmond Coliseum.
The senior co-leaders of the Rams, Abigail Corning and Erin Rooney, each registered a double-double, Corning with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Rooney with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rooney, despite her 5' 8" frame, was a rebounding force, helping lead the Rams to a 48-33 advantage on the glass.
Corning, for her work all weekend, was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
The disparity was noted and explained by a very disappointed Dayton head coach, Jim Jabir.
"We got outplayed, outcoached...they wanted it more and they executed wonderfully. When you give up 17 offensive rebounds and they shoot like they do, we don't have much of a chance at that point," Jabir said.
After an 89-68 win over George Washington characterized by Jabir as perhaps the team's best work so far this season, Sunday's performance were shockingly opposite.
"As well as we played yesterday, we played that poorly today. We were hesitant in our offense. As well as we executed yesterday, we were just jacking up shots today. We were out of sorts, and that's my fault."
Conference Player of the Year Andrea Hoover was the only Flyer to shoot 50 percent or better, and the only Dayton player in double figures with 22. Celeste Edwards scored six early, cooled, and finished with eight points on 4-of-15 shooting. Ally Malott went ice cold, going 2-for-11, finishing with 5 points.
The Flyers fall to 23-7 and still expect to be awarded an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced a week from Monday night. They were projected coming into Sunday as a #5 seed, up from a #6 seed after their strong semifinal performance. Now, that will all change, and Jabir will look for the right way to right the ship.
"I was very frank with them in the locker room. I told them exactly what I think the problem is and we're going to address the problem. We will get better. I think mentally we make excuses for ourselves sometimes," Jabir explained. "We rely on luck rather than being consistent and doing the same behavior the right way every time. I don't think we're really confident. If we make a couple of shots and things are going well, we play really well. If there's any kind of adversity, we struggle."
*****************
For Gaitley, the victory in the Richmond Coliseum is a "full-circle" moment of sorts. She coached the University of Richmond from 1985 to 1991, winning 116 games and two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships. After stops at St. Joseph's, Monmouth, and Long Island Universities, she was named Fordham's head coach on April 1, 2011. Just shy of three years later, she has the Rams in only their second NCAA Tournament, their first since 1994.
"I know the emotion of losing a championship, we experienced it a year ago," Gaitley reminded the press following the victory. "I would be remiss if my first comments weren't about my senior co-captains, Erin and Abigail. Abigail is the hardest working player I've ever coached, and that's not a knock on Erin. But Abigail plays hard in every possession, even in practice. Erin can sometimes make it look easier, Abigail is the little engine that could."
Rooney transferred to Fordham from Monmouth after Gaitley made the move, but not before almost declining. It wasn't until learning her preferred major in science was being added at Fordham that Rooney opted to follow Gaitley, and what followed was a brand new Rams program.
After sitting out the 2011-12 season per NCAA rules, Rooney averaged 13.9 points per game as Fordham advanced to the WNIT in 2012-13. This season, Rooney increased her accuracy from the field, averaged 18.2 points per game, and became the first Fordham player to be named First-Team All-Atlantic 10.
Winning the tournament championship was an overwhelming moment for Rooney.
"It's hard to describe. It's really just a feeling," Rooney said, pointing directly to her heart.
For Corning, who has seen it all in four years at Fordham, the turnaround is especially sweet.
"A complete 360, that's for sure. In my freshman year, to think we'd win the conference tournament, sitting her as champs today. It's really a credit to coach coming in sophomore year and turning the program around. We knew it would take some time. Our sophomore year, we played our hearts and we had talent but we didn't have all the pieces together. Last year we had the pieces, we just fell a point shy," Corning said.
(Abigail Corning, facing camera, shares the clipped net with senior co-captain Erin Rooney)
Corning and Rooney smiled widely while wearing their Atlantic 10 Champions hats and t-shirts. Following the press conference, they returned to the court and finished cutting down the nets.
For them, Gaitley and her staff, and the rest of the Fordham program, a statement was made, a title was won, and a ticket was punched, as the Rams were not forecast to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The only way to make sure you go to the Big Dance is to earn it. On this Sunday at the Richmond Coliseum, the Rams earned it, on both ends of the floor and in every way, large and small.
NOTES:
--Corning and Rooney were joined on the All-Tournament Team by Dayton's Hoover and Malott and VCU's Robyn Parks. Overlooked was George Washington guard Danni Jackson, who was in double figures in both of the Colonials' tournament games, and single-handedly tried to keep the Colonials in their semifinal loss to Dayton when the Flyers shut down leading scorer Jonquel Jones.
--The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, March 17th at 7pm on ESPN. It will be a long wait for St. Joseph's. The tournament's #5 seed, who lost 82-79 in overtime to #4 George Washington in the quarterfinals on Friday, entered the tourney with an RPI of 17 and a Strength of Schedule of 20. Bracket projections gave the Hawks an at-large berth with a #9 or #10 seed. With Fordham grabbing the automatic Atlantic 10 berth, now the question will be if the committee will not deem the A-10 strong enough for three bids, and whether the Hawks could pay the price for that.
If based on individual team performance, the Flyers, Rams and Hawks should all see their names on television next Monday. In addition, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, Duquesne and VCU, in our projections, should see invites to the WNIT.
If seven teams out of the conference's 13 make the postseason, it would have to be considered a very successful season for the Atlantic 10, a year which saw a strong top half (VCU lost seven of their eight regular season games overall in conference) with teams beating up each other through January and February, and its first neutral court postseason tournament featuring all 13 teams this past weekend here in RVA.
Add to that touted recruiting classes at schools such as St. Louis and George Mason, and a Richmond team who will regroup after an injury-plagued year, and the Atlantic 10 will be ready to take yet another step up in quality of women's basketball overall.
But for today, the Fordham Rams wear the net and hold the trophy. And the love affair between a school and their team's co-leaders, nicknamed "Eri-Gail" by a media member after the contest, will continue as well.
(Erin Rooney poses before finishing the final cut of the Championship net at the Richmond Coliseum...)
The turnaround began in head coach Stephanie Gaitley's second season, 2012-13, when the Rams vaulted from 12th to 3rd in the Atlantic 10, moving from 3-11 to 12-2, and advancing to their first Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship game, where they fell to St. Joseph's 47-46.
Mark March 9, 2014 in the Rams' history books where the turnaround should be deemed complete.
Fordham used timely shooting, tremendous tenacity on the boards, especially on the offensive end, and a fighter's mentality to figuratively and literally knock off the number-one seed, the Dayton Flyers, 63-51 in the 2014 Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Tournament Championship Sunday afternoon at the Richmond Coliseum.
The senior co-leaders of the Rams, Abigail Corning and Erin Rooney, each registered a double-double, Corning with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Rooney with 13 points and 13 rebounds. Rooney, despite her 5' 8" frame, was a rebounding force, helping lead the Rams to a 48-33 advantage on the glass.
Corning, for her work all weekend, was named Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
The disparity was noted and explained by a very disappointed Dayton head coach, Jim Jabir.
"We got outplayed, outcoached...they wanted it more and they executed wonderfully. When you give up 17 offensive rebounds and they shoot like they do, we don't have much of a chance at that point," Jabir said.
After an 89-68 win over George Washington characterized by Jabir as perhaps the team's best work so far this season, Sunday's performance were shockingly opposite.
"As well as we played yesterday, we played that poorly today. We were hesitant in our offense. As well as we executed yesterday, we were just jacking up shots today. We were out of sorts, and that's my fault."
Conference Player of the Year Andrea Hoover was the only Flyer to shoot 50 percent or better, and the only Dayton player in double figures with 22. Celeste Edwards scored six early, cooled, and finished with eight points on 4-of-15 shooting. Ally Malott went ice cold, going 2-for-11, finishing with 5 points.
The Flyers fall to 23-7 and still expect to be awarded an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament when the field is announced a week from Monday night. They were projected coming into Sunday as a #5 seed, up from a #6 seed after their strong semifinal performance. Now, that will all change, and Jabir will look for the right way to right the ship.
"I was very frank with them in the locker room. I told them exactly what I think the problem is and we're going to address the problem. We will get better. I think mentally we make excuses for ourselves sometimes," Jabir explained. "We rely on luck rather than being consistent and doing the same behavior the right way every time. I don't think we're really confident. If we make a couple of shots and things are going well, we play really well. If there's any kind of adversity, we struggle."
*****************
For Gaitley, the victory in the Richmond Coliseum is a "full-circle" moment of sorts. She coached the University of Richmond from 1985 to 1991, winning 116 games and two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships. After stops at St. Joseph's, Monmouth, and Long Island Universities, she was named Fordham's head coach on April 1, 2011. Just shy of three years later, she has the Rams in only their second NCAA Tournament, their first since 1994.
"I know the emotion of losing a championship, we experienced it a year ago," Gaitley reminded the press following the victory. "I would be remiss if my first comments weren't about my senior co-captains, Erin and Abigail. Abigail is the hardest working player I've ever coached, and that's not a knock on Erin. But Abigail plays hard in every possession, even in practice. Erin can sometimes make it look easier, Abigail is the little engine that could."
Rooney transferred to Fordham from Monmouth after Gaitley made the move, but not before almost declining. It wasn't until learning her preferred major in science was being added at Fordham that Rooney opted to follow Gaitley, and what followed was a brand new Rams program.
After sitting out the 2011-12 season per NCAA rules, Rooney averaged 13.9 points per game as Fordham advanced to the WNIT in 2012-13. This season, Rooney increased her accuracy from the field, averaged 18.2 points per game, and became the first Fordham player to be named First-Team All-Atlantic 10.
Winning the tournament championship was an overwhelming moment for Rooney.
"It's hard to describe. It's really just a feeling," Rooney said, pointing directly to her heart.
For Corning, who has seen it all in four years at Fordham, the turnaround is especially sweet.
"A complete 360, that's for sure. In my freshman year, to think we'd win the conference tournament, sitting her as champs today. It's really a credit to coach coming in sophomore year and turning the program around. We knew it would take some time. Our sophomore year, we played our hearts and we had talent but we didn't have all the pieces together. Last year we had the pieces, we just fell a point shy," Corning said.
(Abigail Corning, facing camera, shares the clipped net with senior co-captain Erin Rooney)
Corning and Rooney smiled widely while wearing their Atlantic 10 Champions hats and t-shirts. Following the press conference, they returned to the court and finished cutting down the nets.
For them, Gaitley and her staff, and the rest of the Fordham program, a statement was made, a title was won, and a ticket was punched, as the Rams were not forecast to receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
The only way to make sure you go to the Big Dance is to earn it. On this Sunday at the Richmond Coliseum, the Rams earned it, on both ends of the floor and in every way, large and small.
NOTES:
--Corning and Rooney were joined on the All-Tournament Team by Dayton's Hoover and Malott and VCU's Robyn Parks. Overlooked was George Washington guard Danni Jackson, who was in double figures in both of the Colonials' tournament games, and single-handedly tried to keep the Colonials in their semifinal loss to Dayton when the Flyers shut down leading scorer Jonquel Jones.
--The NCAA Tournament field will be announced Monday, March 17th at 7pm on ESPN. It will be a long wait for St. Joseph's. The tournament's #5 seed, who lost 82-79 in overtime to #4 George Washington in the quarterfinals on Friday, entered the tourney with an RPI of 17 and a Strength of Schedule of 20. Bracket projections gave the Hawks an at-large berth with a #9 or #10 seed. With Fordham grabbing the automatic Atlantic 10 berth, now the question will be if the committee will not deem the A-10 strong enough for three bids, and whether the Hawks could pay the price for that.
If based on individual team performance, the Flyers, Rams and Hawks should all see their names on television next Monday. In addition, George Washington, St. Bonaventure, Duquesne and VCU, in our projections, should see invites to the WNIT.
If seven teams out of the conference's 13 make the postseason, it would have to be considered a very successful season for the Atlantic 10, a year which saw a strong top half (VCU lost seven of their eight regular season games overall in conference) with teams beating up each other through January and February, and its first neutral court postseason tournament featuring all 13 teams this past weekend here in RVA.
Add to that touted recruiting classes at schools such as St. Louis and George Mason, and a Richmond team who will regroup after an injury-plagued year, and the Atlantic 10 will be ready to take yet another step up in quality of women's basketball overall.
But for today, the Fordham Rams wear the net and hold the trophy. And the love affair between a school and their team's co-leaders, nicknamed "Eri-Gail" by a media member after the contest, will continue as well.
UPSET: Fordham knocks off Dayton to WIN Atlantic 10 Tournament, NCAA Berth....
An amazing performance of consistency in all phases of the game, coupled with the shooting of the Dayton Flyers going cold, gives the Fordham Rams, after 19 seasons in the Atlantic 10, their First Tournament Championship, 63-51.
Three Rams had double-doubles: the senior combination of Erin Rooney (13 pts, 13 rebounds), Abigail Corning (12 pts, 11 rebounds) and Emily Tapio, who came alive in the second half with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Andrea Hoover's 22 points and 6 rebounds were not enough as the Flyers fall short again of the tournament championship after a two-year regular season run that saw Dayton finish first place with 16-0 and 14-2 records.
More to come!
Three Rams had double-doubles: the senior combination of Erin Rooney (13 pts, 13 rebounds), Abigail Corning (12 pts, 11 rebounds) and Emily Tapio, who came alive in the second half with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
Atlantic 10 Player of the Year Andrea Hoover's 22 points and 6 rebounds were not enough as the Flyers fall short again of the tournament championship after a two-year regular season run that saw Dayton finish first place with 16-0 and 14-2 records.
More to come!
TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE HALF: #1 Dayton 30, #3 Fordham 29....
Save a brief stretch about five to seven minutes into the game when Dayton, the top-seed, had a chance to open up a double-digit lead but didn't, it has been a battle worthy of the term "championship".
The Rams cut a six-point edge down to one by 10:15 left in the half, then hit back-to-back threes to take a small advantage. A missed opportunity on the final possession of the half by Fordham, where they ran their play, only to kick back to guard Erin Rooney at the point to face a half-court trap with eight seconds left, not giving them enough time to re-run the play before the horn, may be one that's remembered awhile for Rams fans.
Abigail Corning leads the Rams with 9 points, while Rooney has 5 points and 6 tenacious rebounds.
For Dayton, the physical trials of Ally Malott continue. She re-tweaked an ankle that was hurt in the VCU quarterfinal, and bled from an elbow late in the half after drawing a foul inside. She made one-of-two free throws and has 3 points and 5 rebounds.
Conference Player of the Year Andrea Hoover has lived to that billing, leading Dayton with 11 points and 5 rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass, where she makes a living batting balls back out to her guard tandem of Celeste Edwards and Amber Deane. The battle between Edwards, the freshman, and Rooney, the redshirt senior, have been fun to watch. Edwards contributed her six points in the earlier part of the half as Dayton built an early lead that they couldn't hold.
Dayton seeks a stamp of validation in the next 20 minutes. They went unbeaten in the A-10 last year, only to lose in the Tournament Semis. They won the conference again this year at 14-2, but want the Tournament Title, and the NCAA Tournament bid that goes with it, in the worst way.
Fordham seeks to erase the heartbreak of losing in this very Championship Game as a #3 seed a year ago, 47-46 to St. Joseph's. They currently, in ESPN'S Women's Bracketology, are listed in the "Next Four Out" category. It seems only a win puts them in the Big Dance. They'll certainly play in the WNIT if they aren't able to accomplish that.
NOTE: St. Joseph's, though the #5 seed and eliminated in the Tournament Quarterfinals in overtime by George Washington, are currently listed by ESPN as being in the Field of 64 as a #10 seed (down from #9 yesterday) thanks to a very high Strength of Schedule (20) and RPI (17).
Dayton was moved up this morning from a projected #6 seed to a #5 seed. The Tournament field will be announced Monday, March 17th, 7pm on ESPN.
The Rams cut a six-point edge down to one by 10:15 left in the half, then hit back-to-back threes to take a small advantage. A missed opportunity on the final possession of the half by Fordham, where they ran their play, only to kick back to guard Erin Rooney at the point to face a half-court trap with eight seconds left, not giving them enough time to re-run the play before the horn, may be one that's remembered awhile for Rams fans.
Abigail Corning leads the Rams with 9 points, while Rooney has 5 points and 6 tenacious rebounds.
For Dayton, the physical trials of Ally Malott continue. She re-tweaked an ankle that was hurt in the VCU quarterfinal, and bled from an elbow late in the half after drawing a foul inside. She made one-of-two free throws and has 3 points and 5 rebounds.
Conference Player of the Year Andrea Hoover has lived to that billing, leading Dayton with 11 points and 5 rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass, where she makes a living batting balls back out to her guard tandem of Celeste Edwards and Amber Deane. The battle between Edwards, the freshman, and Rooney, the redshirt senior, have been fun to watch. Edwards contributed her six points in the earlier part of the half as Dayton built an early lead that they couldn't hold.
Dayton seeks a stamp of validation in the next 20 minutes. They went unbeaten in the A-10 last year, only to lose in the Tournament Semis. They won the conference again this year at 14-2, but want the Tournament Title, and the NCAA Tournament bid that goes with it, in the worst way.
Fordham seeks to erase the heartbreak of losing in this very Championship Game as a #3 seed a year ago, 47-46 to St. Joseph's. They currently, in ESPN'S Women's Bracketology, are listed in the "Next Four Out" category. It seems only a win puts them in the Big Dance. They'll certainly play in the WNIT if they aren't able to accomplish that.
NOTE: St. Joseph's, though the #5 seed and eliminated in the Tournament Quarterfinals in overtime by George Washington, are currently listed by ESPN as being in the Field of 64 as a #10 seed (down from #9 yesterday) thanks to a very high Strength of Schedule (20) and RPI (17).
Dayton was moved up this morning from a projected #6 seed to a #5 seed. The Tournament field will be announced Monday, March 17th, 7pm on ESPN.
CHAMPIONSHIP PRIMER: #1 Dayton vs. #3 Fordham
#1 Seed: Dayton:
--two-time defending Atlantic 10 regular season champions
--defeated VCU in quarterfinals 62-61, George Washington in semifinals 89-68
--23-6 record overall
--combined 30-2 regular season league record past two seasons
--1-3 all-time in Atlantic 10 Tournament vs. Fordham
--won 3rd A-10 Tournament title in school history in 2012 over St. Bonaventure 56-53...
#3 Seed: Fordham:
--seeking first Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship
--lost 2013 Tournament Final, 47-46 to St. Joseph's
--St. Joseph's was a #4 seed, Fordham a #3 seed last year as well
--had only won five tournament games all-time as a program before coming to Richmond this week
--back-to-back seasons in semis and finals; first two appearances in either for program
NOTE: Watch today's game on ESPNU, tipoff just after 11AM EDT (did you set your clocks up last night?)
--two-time defending Atlantic 10 regular season champions
--defeated VCU in quarterfinals 62-61, George Washington in semifinals 89-68
--23-6 record overall
--combined 30-2 regular season league record past two seasons
--1-3 all-time in Atlantic 10 Tournament vs. Fordham
--won 3rd A-10 Tournament title in school history in 2012 over St. Bonaventure 56-53...
#3 Seed: Fordham:
--seeking first Atlantic 10 Tournament Championship
--lost 2013 Tournament Final, 47-46 to St. Joseph's
--St. Joseph's was a #4 seed, Fordham a #3 seed last year as well
--had only won five tournament games all-time as a program before coming to Richmond this week
--back-to-back seasons in semis and finals; first two appearances in either for program
NOTE: Watch today's game on ESPNU, tipoff just after 11AM EDT (did you set your clocks up last night?)
Saturday, March 8, 2014
SEMIFINAL #2: #3 Fordham 73, #2 St. Bonaventure 32....
"I wish this wasn't real....I wish this game wasn't real...."
The words of Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, St. Bonaventure's Jim Crowley after his team's emotional time in Richmond came to a painful end with a 73-32 loss to Fordham in the Tournament Semifinals at the Richmond Coliseum.
As for the game, it was simply, at its root, a matter of making shots versus missing them. St. Bonaventure set the A-10 Tournament record for fewest points in a game (32), fewest field goals made (9), and the lowest field goal shooting percentage (16.7% on 9-of-54 from the field).
But more than that, the Bonnies had to deal with so much more than just five opponents on a basketball court, continuing to deal with the tragic loss of Assistant Sports Information Director Brian Moretti, who collapsed and passed away of cardiac arrest after arriving in Richmond on Wednesday night at only 25 years of age.
"Everyone grieves differently, but we do grieve as a family," Crowley noted with purpose, paying tribute to his team for their effort in the second half, where Fordham only had a 35-28 advantage. He said he didn't look ahead as to how to help the team forget this game and prepare them for a likely appearance in the WNIT, choosing to begin that process following the contest.
For Fordham, it, too, was a strange experience. They shot 57.7% from the floor, 13-of-22 from three-point range (their best performance beyond the arc this season). Subs who played liberally in the second half had hot hands. So, for head coach Stephanie Gaitley, it was also a unique halftime period.
"I told the kids, it's 0-0. I had to, because if I let up, they let up, and we've had some games this year where we had good leads at halftime and we did let up some," Gaitley explained.
Hannah Missry launched the Rams' offensive assault with four quick treys in the opening minutes as the lead built to 19-2 in just seven minutes. Many games begin like that, with the team behind launching a comeback of some sort. St. Bonaventure tried, but the shots simply wouldn't fall. With 4:08 left in the first half, they were shooting five percent (1-of-20) from the field. Two and a half minutes later, the score was 33-2.
Missry led the Rams with 18 points while Erin Rooney scored her 10 points in the first half. Katie Healy led St. Bonaventure with 12 points, 10 after intermission. The lead grew to as many as 49 at 67-18 with 4:30 to go before the Bonnies (23-10) finished on a 14-6 run.
The attention now turns to the Championship Game, where Fordham played a year ago, had the lead, but fell in heartbreaking fashion to St. Joseph's 47-46. This year they face Dayton, the #1 seed, a team Gaitley has never beaten in her time at Fordham.
"Abigail (Corning) told me last night after the game (quarterfinal win over Duquesne) that that was her first win over Duquesne. We were 1-7 against St. Bonaventure before today. So maybe the stars are aligned."
We'll find out Sunday at 11AM.
The words of Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, St. Bonaventure's Jim Crowley after his team's emotional time in Richmond came to a painful end with a 73-32 loss to Fordham in the Tournament Semifinals at the Richmond Coliseum.
As for the game, it was simply, at its root, a matter of making shots versus missing them. St. Bonaventure set the A-10 Tournament record for fewest points in a game (32), fewest field goals made (9), and the lowest field goal shooting percentage (16.7% on 9-of-54 from the field).
But more than that, the Bonnies had to deal with so much more than just five opponents on a basketball court, continuing to deal with the tragic loss of Assistant Sports Information Director Brian Moretti, who collapsed and passed away of cardiac arrest after arriving in Richmond on Wednesday night at only 25 years of age.
"Everyone grieves differently, but we do grieve as a family," Crowley noted with purpose, paying tribute to his team for their effort in the second half, where Fordham only had a 35-28 advantage. He said he didn't look ahead as to how to help the team forget this game and prepare them for a likely appearance in the WNIT, choosing to begin that process following the contest.
For Fordham, it, too, was a strange experience. They shot 57.7% from the floor, 13-of-22 from three-point range (their best performance beyond the arc this season). Subs who played liberally in the second half had hot hands. So, for head coach Stephanie Gaitley, it was also a unique halftime period.
"I told the kids, it's 0-0. I had to, because if I let up, they let up, and we've had some games this year where we had good leads at halftime and we did let up some," Gaitley explained.
Hannah Missry launched the Rams' offensive assault with four quick treys in the opening minutes as the lead built to 19-2 in just seven minutes. Many games begin like that, with the team behind launching a comeback of some sort. St. Bonaventure tried, but the shots simply wouldn't fall. With 4:08 left in the first half, they were shooting five percent (1-of-20) from the field. Two and a half minutes later, the score was 33-2.
Missry led the Rams with 18 points while Erin Rooney scored her 10 points in the first half. Katie Healy led St. Bonaventure with 12 points, 10 after intermission. The lead grew to as many as 49 at 67-18 with 4:30 to go before the Bonnies (23-10) finished on a 14-6 run.
The attention now turns to the Championship Game, where Fordham played a year ago, had the lead, but fell in heartbreaking fashion to St. Joseph's 47-46. This year they face Dayton, the #1 seed, a team Gaitley has never beaten in her time at Fordham.
"Abigail (Corning) told me last night after the game (quarterfinal win over Duquesne) that that was her first win over Duquesne. We were 1-7 against St. Bonaventure before today. So maybe the stars are aligned."
We'll find out Sunday at 11AM.
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