University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Fordham
Last Minute Rally Gets UMass By Fordham, 61-59
January 30, 2008 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2008
Box Score |
Photo Gallery 
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass (10-10, 2-3 A-10) rallied after a late 18-8 run by Fordham (0-21, 0-6 A-10) to score six of the final eight points of the game and hold off the Rams in front of 2,487 fans on Field Trip Day at the Mullins Center on Wednesday. Alisha Tatham's (Brampton, Ontario) go-ahead layup and subsequent steal in the waning seconds secured the win for the Minutewomen. Kate Mills (Elkton, Md.) tallied the 13th double-double of her career with 26 points and 12 rebounds and Pam Rosanio (Southampton, Pa.) broke the Mullins Center women's career-scoring record at 13:05 in the first half on a free throw. She finished with 15 points along with nine rebounds and now holds the record at 664 points, breaking Jennifer Butler's mark of 653.
Fordham took an early 9-6 lead behind five points by Megan Mahoney, as the Minutewomen missed seven of their first nine shots. UMass then went on a 15-4 run over the next 3:23 to take a 21-13 lead with 10:38 left in the first half. Fordham would respond and outscore the Minutewomen, 14-9, over rest of the half, giving UMass a 30-27 lead at halftime.
Mills led the way in the first half with 14 points and seven rebounds, while UMass shot 35.3% (12-34). Mahoney led the Rams in the opening half with 10 points. The Minutewomen held the edge in rebounding, 23-19.
The Rams scored the first six points of the second half to take a 33-30 lead, but the Minutewomen came right back with a 12-2 run, capped off by a Stefanie Gerardot (Fort Wayne, Ind.) 3-pointer, giving UMass the lead, 42-35, with 12:30 remaining. After a Fordham basket, the Minutewomen scored five-straight points, with a Tatham layup giving them their first double-digit lead of the game, 47-37, with 9:36 to go. Fordham then outscored UMass, 18-8, over the next 8:10 to take the lead, 57-55, on a Mahoney layup with 1:26 to go.
Mills tied the game at 57 with a jumper at 1:11 and gave the Minutewomen the lead back with a steal and layup with 28 seconds remaining. Mahoney responded by making a jumper in the lane with 20 second remaining. In the last few seconds in the second half, Tatham drove through the lane and scored on a layup with 7.2 seconds remaining. Fordham got the ball back but a steal by Tatham sealed the victory for UMass.
The Minutewomen return to action on Sunday, when they host Saint Joseph's in an A-10 contest at the Mullins Center. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m. and UMass will be celebrating National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
