Saint Joseph's Women's Basketball OutlastsFordham, 57-46, In Overtime

PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's women's basketball team gained momentum from the start of overtime and held off Fordham for a 57-46 win Wednesday evening at Hagan Arena. Outscoring the Rams 11-0 in the extra frame, the Hawks improved to 12-5 overall and 2-1 in the Atlantic 10 with the victory.

Leading 46-43 with less than a minute to go, Saint Joseph's couldn't close the door on Fordham, turning the ball over with 25 second to go. The Hawks' defense harassed the Rams, but Cody Sims banked in a three-pointer from nearly 30 feet out to tie the game at 46-46 with a second to go and force overtime.

In overtime, both teams struggled to get going over the opening two minutes, but a steal and fast-break layup by junior guard Ashely Prim (Ansonia, Conn./Kolbe Cathedral) got the Hawks' going. Following a baseline jumper by senior Michelle Baker (Wilmington, Del/Brandywine), Prim put a dagger in the Rams with a three-pointer to make it a 53-46 game with 1:28 to go.

Saint Joseph's would add four free throws from there to close out the win as the Hawks' defense held Fordham to 0-for-6 from the floor in overtime and a pair of turnovers.

In the first half, the Hawks led the entire 20 minutes, taking an 11-4 lead to start on a jumper by senior center Samira van Grinsven (Helmond, Netherlands/Jan van Brabaut) at 13:36.

The Rams (10-9, 1-3 Atlantic 10) hung around though, and came out of the halftime with energy. Down 24-18 to start the second half, Fordham used a 12-3 run to open to take a 30-27 lead on a three pointer by Charlotte Stoddart at 16:33.

Sophomore Kasie Parker (Oviedo, Fla/Lake Howell) answered back with a three to tie the game at 30-30, and an 8-0 run saw the Hawks go from down one to a 42-35 edge on a Prim layup at 7:16.

Fordham rallied though with an 11-4 run from there to force overtime one Sims' three pointer.

For the game, Saint Joseph's hit 21-of-51 from the field (41.2 percent), hit 5-of-8 from three-point range (62.5 percent), but hit just 10-of-20 from the foul line. Individually, van Grinsven paced SJU with 12 points and nine rebounds, while Prim and Baker each finished with 11 points apiece.

At the other end, Fordham shot just 17-of-55 from the floor (30.9 percent), and hit 4-of-16 from behind the arc and 8-of-13 from the foul line (61.5 percent). Stoddart led the Rams with 11 points, while Abigail Corning grabbed nine rebounds as Fordham outrebounded the Hawks, 38-34.

Saint Joseph's returns to action Saturday at Xavier. Game time is set for 1 p.m. with the game being televised on the CBS Sports Network.

- SJU -