Heartbreak on the Court: Women’s Basketball Falls Short Against No. 24 Cal

NEW YORK – A robust performance by the Fordham University women’s basketball squad saw the Rams compete fiercely with one of the elite teams in the nation for a significant portion of the game, but ultimately fell short 69-53 to No. 24 Cal on Saturday to commence the Raising the B.A.R. (basketball, activism, representation) Invitational.

The defeat halts a four-game winning streak for the Rams, who now stand at 6-4 for the season, while the No. 24 Bears advanced to 12-1 for their campaign. Both teams will compete in their respective second and final matches of the Raising the B.A.R.

Taylor Donaldson scored 24 points, leading the Fordham offense throughout the evening, alongside three steals, equal to Emma Wilson-Saltos for the team’s highest in that category. Wilson-Saltos also contributed eight rebounds, one shy of Irene Murua, who collected nine. Murua added seven points on Saturday, as did Taya Davis, who scored eight points for the Rams, along with seven from Chae Harris.

The Bears started the game with a 13-2 surge, before Fordham found its rhythm late in the first quarter, ending the first period down 22-10.

Securing a couple of steals in the initial minute of the second quarter, the Rams converted a pair of free throws followed by a Donaldson three-pointer to narrow the deficit to single digits. Fordham narrowed it to a five-point game with just over five minutes left in the first half, utilizing a 7-2 run to get back within striking distance before halftime.

Another Donaldson three brought the Maroon and White back within one possession at 26-23, but Cal managed to extend the lead shortly before halftime, finishing the half with seven of the final nine points, allowing Fordham to remain only eight points behind at the break against the No. 24 ranked team in the nation.

After the interval, Fordham continued to match pace with the Bears, thanks to a Harris three that reduced the lead back to single digits with 4:22 remaining in the third, and trailed by only ten heading into the final quarter of play.

Cal pulled away in the fourth to increase their lead, leading to a late 7-0 Fordham run that narrowed it to just an 11-point deficit with three minutes left. However, the No. 24 Bears held firm, securing a 69-53 victory on Saturday.

The Rams are set to face either Xavier or Temple in the consolation match of the Raising the B.A.R. Invitational tomorrow afternoon at 6:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. local).