2024-2025 Fordham University Women's Basketball (PDF) - Fordham University Athletics
I predict that the Bears (11-1) will prevail over the Rams (6-3), 70-50, late this afternoon. Fordham has not faced any formidable opponent this season other than a road loss to Seton Hall (8-3). Fordham lacks height, good shooters and ballhandlers. These New Yorkers have played good team defense against weaker competition and have forced an equal number of opposition turnovers (19.3). In the games that they've won, their opponents have managed to score in the fifties. Despite the lack of a traditional post player, they have outrebounded their opponents by 5.5 boards per game.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - Fordham University Athletics
Fordham's HC rotates 8 players double-digit minutes. The five starters play between 22.2-29.3 mpg. This team has not played for nearly two weeks so they should be well rested but rusty. The Rams feature four guards that stand between 5-7 to 5-10. Their top rebounder and 2nd leading scorer is a 6-0 Spanish center. The three reserves that see regular action help out on the boards. Their tallest player is a frosh 6-2 post, Precious Omoshola, from London but she only averages 8.4 minutes of PT.
The Ram's two consistent offensive threats are 5-10 grad SG, Taylor Donaldson, & grad 6-foot center, Irene Murua, from Spain. The latter played an unorthodox back-to-the- basket center role for three seasons for Detroit Mercy. I don't know how Michelle Onyiah will defend this unique matchup.
Donaldson is a transfer from New Mexico State. This is her second season in the Atlantic 10 and the young lady earned second team conference honors in 2023-24. Taylor is by far the best outside shooter on her team. She is, in reality, the only three-point threat with 19 treys out of 55 attempts. The shooting guard averages 16 points per game and leads the defense in steals with 16. The other key player is Murua. She registers 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. She surprises with 3+ offensive rebound average.
Chae Harris is good ball-handler. She is a 5-8 junior who tallies 8.5 ppg. She has a positive assist to turnover ratio and is third in steals w/ 12. Their primary PG is Taya Davis, a 5-7 senior, who contributes 5.9 points to their offense. She leads the team with 35 assists and is second in steals (15). The fourth starting guard is Amiyah Ferguson, a 5-8 soph shooting guard, who adds 5.7 ppg.
The three substitutes perform key roles for the team. Kaila Berry is a 5-11 junior SF who is the second-best rebounder for Fordham with 4.4 and scores 4.8 points. Freshman 5-11 small forward, Karissa Antoine average 4.2 boards (#3) and contributes 3.4 points. Rose Nelson, is a 6-1 junior from Australia, plays 16 minutes per game, contributing 3.3 rebounds and only 1.2 points per game. On the season, the Aussie leads the Rams in blocked shots with six.
In summary, both teams turn the ball over too much but counterbalance that weakness but forcing approximately equal amounts of turnovers from the other team. The major advantages that I see for Cal are in inside play (rebounding) and three-point shooting. After last week's performance, I hesitate to predict that Onyiah (6-3) & Suarez (6-3) should dominate the boards. Both did little last Sunday while Austin Peay's, #20 Wyatt, the 5-11 freshman, scored 16 points against Cal. The Bears average 10.3 treys per game compared to the Rams paltry 4. Hopefully, Charmin Smith has her charges motivated for the Raising the BAR event and that they jump out to a 1st quarter lead and never look back. GO BEARS!
I predict that the Bears (11-1) will prevail over the Rams (6-3), 70-50, late this afternoon. Fordham has not faced any formidable opponent this season other than a road loss to Seton Hall (8-3). Fordham lacks height, good shooters and ballhandlers. These New Yorkers have played good team defense against weaker competition and have forced an equal number of opposition turnovers (19.3). In the games that they've won, their opponents have managed to score in the fifties. Despite the lack of a traditional post player, they have outrebounded their opponents by 5.5 boards per game.
2024-25 Women's Basketball Roster - Fordham University Athletics
Fordham's HC rotates 8 players double-digit minutes. The five starters play between 22.2-29.3 mpg. This team has not played for nearly two weeks so they should be well rested but rusty. The Rams feature four guards that stand between 5-7 to 5-10. Their top rebounder and 2nd leading scorer is a 6-0 Spanish center. The three reserves that see regular action help out on the boards. Their tallest player is a frosh 6-2 post, Precious Omoshola, from London but she only averages 8.4 minutes of PT.
The Ram's two consistent offensive threats are 5-10 grad SG, Taylor Donaldson, & grad 6-foot center, Irene Murua, from Spain. The latter played an unorthodox back-to-the- basket center role for three seasons for Detroit Mercy. I don't know how Michelle Onyiah will defend this unique matchup.
Donaldson is a transfer from New Mexico State. This is her second season in the Atlantic 10 and the young lady earned second team conference honors in 2023-24. Taylor is by far the best outside shooter on her team. She is, in reality, the only three-point threat with 19 treys out of 55 attempts. The shooting guard averages 16 points per game and leads the defense in steals with 16. The other key player is Murua. She registers 11.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. She surprises with 3+ offensive rebound average.
Chae Harris is good ball-handler. She is a 5-8 junior who tallies 8.5 ppg. She has a positive assist to turnover ratio and is third in steals w/ 12. Their primary PG is Taya Davis, a 5-7 senior, who contributes 5.9 points to their offense. She leads the team with 35 assists and is second in steals (15). The fourth starting guard is Amiyah Ferguson, a 5-8 soph shooting guard, who adds 5.7 ppg.
The three substitutes perform key roles for the team. Kaila Berry is a 5-11 junior SF who is the second-best rebounder for Fordham with 4.4 and scores 4.8 points. Freshman 5-11 small forward, Karissa Antoine average 4.2 boards (#3) and contributes 3.4 points. Rose Nelson, is a 6-1 junior from Australia, plays 16 minutes per game, contributing 3.3 rebounds and only 1.2 points per game. On the season, the Aussie leads the Rams in blocked shots with six.
In summary, both teams turn the ball over too much but counterbalance that weakness but forcing approximately equal amounts of turnovers from the other team. The major advantages that I see for Cal are in inside play (rebounding) and three-point shooting. After last week's performance, I hesitate to predict that Onyiah (6-3) & Suarez (6-3) should dominate the boards. Both did little last Sunday while Austin Peay's, #20 Wyatt, the 5-11 freshman, scored 16 points against Cal. The Bears average 10.3 treys per game compared to the Rams paltry 4. Hopefully, Charmin Smith has her charges motivated for the Raising the BAR event and that they jump out to a 1st quarter lead and never look back. GO BEARS!