BRONX, N.Y. – Explorers women's basketball shot 20-36 from three-point range, in large part because of
Nicole Melious. Melious went 8-10 from three, scoring 28 points in all in the 93-83 win over the Fordham Rams.
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INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The early stages of the first favored the Rams, as they got off to a quick start on offense. The Rams totaled the first seven points of the contest, in large part due to Aminata Ly.
- That lead, however, did not last long. Subbed in early for La Salle, Emilee Tahata came out firing and knocked down a three only moments into her first action of the day.
- Tahata not only did it on her first offensive possession, but she followed it up on the next one, and the next one. She tallied nine points in just 1:42 of play.
- Nicole Melious got her solid first half of play started with only two minutes left in the first, but her bucket helped to aid an 13-9 lead for the Explorers.
- Melious and Jolene Armendariz ended the first continuing to knock down three-point shots for La Salle, and they took a 19-15 lead into the second quarter.
- The first offensive possession for La Salle in the second quarter featured a successful inbound play in which Tiara Bolden hit the shot, and drew the foul. She would make the free-throw.
- The Explosive three-point performance from La Salle continued throughout the second. Melious hit two more, and Molly Masciantonio knocked down one of her own to help La Salle to a 33-24 lead.
- Bolden would play tough down the stretch of the half, drawing fouls, hitting free-throws, and converting on layups. La Salle would take an 11-point lead into the locker rooms at the half.
- The second half started for La Salle a lot like the first half ended, with three-point conversions. Masciantonio came out of the game hitting her second three-point shot of the game.
- That was followed up by two more Melious three-point shots, bringing her point total to 17 thus far, but the Rams would continue to hang around.
- The conference's leading scorer, Taylor Donaldson would keep the Rams in the game throughout the third by hitting threes and not allowing each La Salle to go unanswered.
- Eight of the nine La Salle scoring possessions in the third, resulted in a three-point conversion, bringing the point total in the third 25 points, giving them a 66-51 lead to begin the fourth.
- Donaldson was willing her team to comeback against La Salle, going toe-to-toe with the Explorers, answering with shots of her own, but Melious would not go away for La Salle.
- At the 6:54 mark in the fourth, Donaldson hit a three to cut the La Salle lead to ten, but the possession right after, Melious responded with a three of her own, her sixth of the day.
- The Rams and Donaldson would cut the lead to five, but Makayla Miller got herself to the free-throw line, and sunk both shots to bring the lead back up to seven.
- That would be as close as the game got the rest of the way, and La Salle would end with the win.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- Freshman Nicole Melious would set a career-high in points today with 28, going 8-10 from three-point range, tying a La Salle program record.
- Tiara Bolden would set her career-high today, as well, scoring 25 points, and going 4-8 from three.
- Emilee Tahata returned to action after being injured recently, and went 4-4 from beyond the arch.
- As a team the Explorers shot 20-36 from three-point range, breaking a program record in three-point shots made. The previous record was 16 made back in 2022.
- This win snaps an eight-game losing streak ahead of the 2023-24 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament. The Rams were riding a six-game winning streak prior to today.
- La Salle was up by as many as 20 points today, leading the game for 32:58 minutes.
UP NEXT:
- The Explorers will be the 12th seed in next week's A-10 Conference Tournament held in Henrico, Va.
- La Salle will face off against the #13 Massachusetts Minutewomen for the third time this season, a match up in which the Explorers have won twice already this year.
- The game will be on Wednesday, March 6 at 12:00 p.m. on ESPN+.
