By Emmanuel Berbari

Cavanaugh Earns Player of the Week

The redshirt-sophomore paced Fordham’s successful trip to Estero, Florida, leading her team to two victories and a championship game appearance against 10th-ranked Texas at the sixth-annual Gulf Coast Showcase. Cavanaugh scored 24 points in Friday’s victory over Ball State, 25 points in a semifinal win over Pac 12’s Washington and 18 points against one of the nation’s top defenses in Texas. She was recognized for her efforts with a spot on the all-tournament team, as well as her first Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honor. Cavanaugh ranks 20th in the nation in field goal attempts and 24th in minutes per game.

Weekly (Nick) Honor

Freshman Nick Honor continues to impress, leading the Rams to a 5-1 non-conference start. His 15 points, five rebounds and four assists in a trouncing of Alabama A&M earned him a spot as an Atlantic 10 Player of the Week honoree. The versatile guard is shooting 48 percent from the field, 34 percent from beyond the arc and 94 percent from the stripe, all much-needed boosts for a Fordham team that struggled from the field in 2017-18.

Women’s Basketball Rises in RPI

Two impressive victories at the Gulf Coast Showcase and a runner-up finish in a stacked field that included three teams–Texas (11), Missouri (16) and Duke (21)–from the AP’s Preseason Top 25 has earned head coach Stephanie Gaitley’s squad some well-deserved national attention. The Rams are now ranked 74th in the nation, according to NCAA.com, up a spot from last week. A case could be made for higher placement, as the Rams defeated a formidable Pac 12 foe in Washington, who had handled Duke the previous day, and competed well with Texas, a group that appeared in last year’s Sweet 16 and maintains a stronghold on a spot in the Top 25. With matchups at Georgetown and Pittsburgh looming, fans should have their eyes peeled on potential progress in national circles.