Manhattan University Athletics

Bronx, NY - Manhattan women's basketball travels to cross-Bronx rival Fordham on Saturday, December 1. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. in Rose Hill Gymnasium. 

Game Notes:

NCAA Rankings
The Jaspers (1-4) currently rank in the NCAA's Division I Top 25 in two categories: steals per game and turnovers forced. Manhattan sits at 16th in the nation with 13.2 steals per game and at 24th nationally with 23.20 turnovers forced per game. The Jaspers also rank 58th in total steals this season (66) and 76th in turnover margin (3.8). 

Sophomore Courtney Warley (West Chester, PA / Bishop Shanahan) ranks 20th in the country for offensive rebounds per game so far this season (four). Junior Gabby Cajou (Stony Point, NY / North Rockland) ranks 65th in steals per game (2.8) and 70th in assist/turnover ratio (2.38).

MAAC-Leading
With her four offensive rebounds per game, Warley leads the MAAC, while also ranking second in the league for total rebounds per game (eight). Cajou's 2.38 assist/turnover ratio is good for second in the MAAC, while her 14 total steals and 2.8 steals per game rank third. 

Manhattan leads the MAAC in total steals and in steals per game, as well as in blocks per game (3.6). The Jaspers are tied for first with Saint Peter's in turnovers forced per game.

Last Outing
Junior Tuuli Menna (Helsinki, Finland / Richmond) set career-highs in both rebounds (12) and points (nine) in the Jaspers' last outing against Detroit Mercy on November 24 in Draddy. However, Manhattan went on to drop the contest 58-56. Menna's game-high 12 boards paced the Jaspers on the glass, and she added two steals on the day, another career-high, in a personal best 37-minutes played. Warley led Manhattan on the scoring end with 12 points, her third double-figure scoring game of the season and the second time this year she has led the Jaspers offensively.

Meet the Rams
Fordham sits at 4-4 so far this season, with wins over Washington, Wagner, Charlotte and Ball State. Redshirt sophomore guard Bre Cavanaugh earned A-10 Player of the Week honors on November 26 after averaging 22.3 points in the Gulf Coast Showcase. An All-Tournament team selection she set back-to-back season-highs in scoring to advance the Rams to the championship game against #10/9 Texas. She chipped in 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.7 steals per contest, as well, across 37.3 minutes per game.

Previous Meeting
Former Jasper Amani Tatum's 13 fourth-quarter points helped Manhattan get within three of Fordham in the final period of the 2017 Battle of the Bronx, held November 29 in Draddy, but it wasn't enough to overcome the Rams, who ultimately walked away with the 54-48 victory. Manhattan outscored Fordham 23-16 in the fourth quarter, including 14-6 in the paint. The Jaspers shot 35.1 percent from the floor, but just 18.2 percent from three-point range for the game. Fordham was able to record 38.5 percent field goal shooting, as well as 33.3 percent from behind the arc. The Rams went 4-5 from three in the third quarter.

Fordham was led by G'mrice Davis' 19 points and 15 rebounds. Davis received the Doc Johnson Award for Most Outstanding Player of the Manhattan-Fordham matchup.

Series History
The Jaspers and Rams have played at least once every season since 1978-79, Manhattan's first year as a varsity program. Fordham holds a slight 25-24 advantage in the rivalry, winning the last seven meetings between the schools.