RICHMOND, Va. (Interstat) — Cyriah Griffin scored 11 points and dished six assists, and Lucy Ghaifan added 14 points off the bench to lead the VCU Rams to a 69-58 victory over the Fordham Rams in an Atlantic 10 Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday afternoon at Siegel Center.

In a matchup of teams sharing the same nickname and seeking momentum in a challenging season, VCU used a strong start and a decisive finish to secure the win before a crowd of 319. The home team improved to 8-14 overall, while Fordham fell to 9-12.

The game’s most important sequence came late in the fourth quarter, as VCU weathered a final push from Fordham to pull away. After Fordham’s Lakresha Edwards hit a 3-pointer to cut VCU’s lead to 60-58 with 4:22 remaining, the visiting Rams would not score again. VCU closed the game on a 9-0 run over the final 3:43, a stretch defined by defensive stops and clutch free throws.

The decisive run began when VCU’ Ann Zachariah, who finished with 11 points, was fouled and made two free throws. Following a Fordham turnover, Griffin, a guard from Virginia Beach, Virginia, drilled a critical 3-pointer off an assist from Laia Crespin Pastor to extend the lead to 65-58 with 2:53 to play. Fordham missed its next four field goal attempts, and VCU sealed the win at the line, with Crespin Pastor and Ghaifan combining to make four free throws in the final 35 seconds.

VCU established control early, opening the game on a 12-2 run fueled by Ghaifan’s work inside. The sophomore from Grand Island, Nebraska, scored six quick points as Fordham struggled to find its offensive rhythm, managing just seven points in the opening period. VCU led 19-7 after one quarter and maintained a double-digit advantage for much of the first half, taking a 38-25 lead into halftime.

Fordham chipped away in the third quarter, outscoring VCU 17-10 behind the play of Edwards and Carryn Easley. A driving layup by Edwards just before the third-quarter buzzer cut VCU’s lead to 48-42, setting up a tense final period.

The visitors continued their push in the fourth, finally drawing even at 54-54 on a layup by Kaila Berry with 6:24 remaining. The teams traded baskets before Edwards’ late three briefly made it a two-point game, setting the stage for VCU’s closing run.

Edwards led all Fordham scorers with 15 points. Easley, from Philadelphia, added 11 points. Fordham held a 28-22 advantage in points in the paint but was hampered by 17 turnovers, which VCU converted into 17 points. VCU capitalized on its opportunities from the free-throw line down the stretch to secure the win.

Katarina Knezevic contributed 12 points for VCU, which shot consistently across the first, second and fourth quarters to build and then restore its lead. Crespin Pastor, from Calafell, Spain, directed the offense with four assists to go with five points.

The game was a contrast in styles, with Fordham’s interior presence countered by VCU’s balance and timely perimeter shooting. Griffin’s orchestration was pivotal, as her six assists helped generate easy looks for Ghaifan and others.

Fordham, which has lost three of its last four games, will look to rebound at home against Rhode Island on Saturday. VCU, which snapped a two-game skid, hosts city rival Richmond on Sunday in its next conference matchup.