Feb. 5, 2006
Final Stats
BRONX, N.Y. - Freshman Tanja Licina (Belgrade, Serbia) recorded her first career double double with 13 points and 14 rebounds as Rhode Island downed Fordham, 59-54, in Atlantic 10 women's basketball action Sunday. With the win, URI snapped a six game losing streak and handed Fordham its fifth straight loss.
Rhode Island improves to 6-15 overall, 3-7 in the Atlantic 10, while Fordham is now 7-14 on the year, 2-8 in the league.
Licina started the game scoring the first six points for URI. Fordham got out to a five-point advantage, 18-13, after Heather Westrol hit the first of three treys on the afternoon.
Rhode Island though closed out the half with a 17-5 run, as six different Rhode Island players scored during stretch. Sophomore Safi Mojidi put the Rams ahead to stay on a three pointer with four minutes left in the half. Rhode Island held Fordham without a basket over the final seven and a half minutes of the first half, taking a 30-23 lead into the locker room.
In the second half, Rhode Island extended its lead to eight (38-30) through the first five minutes, before Fordham cut the lead to four, 40-36, after a three-pointer by Westrol and a three-point play by LaToya Chalmers. URI then scored four straight points from Tanya Rhodes (Norwalk, Conn.) and a lay-up by Mojidi to extend the lead to ten (46-36) with 12:23 remaining.
The game stayed mostly in Rhode Island's favor by six to eight points until the final minutes, where Fordham got the lead to five on a basket by Jada Jefferson. Daniela Roark hit a three, cutting the lead to two, 56-54, with 17.3 seconds left. Fordham was forced to foul to get the ball back, and Mojidi hit both of her free throws to seal the win for Rhode Island.
Rhodes ended the game leading Rhode Island with 14 points and five steals. Mojidi also scored double digits with 12 points adding five assists and two steals to her totals.
The Rams will continue Atlantic 10 competition as they head out on a weekend road trip to take-on Richmond Friday at 7:00 p.m. and then conference newcomer Saint Louis Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
