Box Score Nov. 24, 2007
Box Score
Bronx, N.Y. -
Fordham thought the only holiday cheer toward Charleston today was a pre-game presentation to Bobby Cremins, but the Cougars shot over 50% from the field and held off a late Fordham rally for a 73-68 win at the Rose Hill Gym on Saturday afternoon.
With the loss, Fordham drops its third straight, moving to 2-3 on the year, while Charleston goes to 2-3.
"We came out slow and flat today," said Fordham head coach Dereck Whittenburg. "Neither team had much energy to start, and we seemed to get stuck in that mode."
Charleston started the contest by scoring the first eight points of the game, and took a double figure lead, 17-7, just 6:30 into the game. The Cougars extended that lead to 15, 26-11, on their fifth three-pointer of the half with 8:55 remaining.
Fordham cut the lead to single digits on a three-point play by Sebastian Greene, late in the half, but a pair of free throws gave Charleston a double-digit lead, heading into halftime, 34-24.
Charleston capitalized on nine Fordham turnovers in the first half, converting them into 14 points, while also shooting 50% from the field, which included six three-pointers.
The Cougars' lead extended to as many as 16 in the second half, as they led 48-32 with under 15 minutes to play.
The Rams then began to chip away at the lead, led by freshman Mike Moore. After two points in the first half, Moore started to hit from long range, hitting a pair of three-pointers to cut the deficit to nine, 59-50, with 6:53 to go.
After Charleston bellied the lead back to 13, 66-53, Moore hit back-to-back baskets from long range to get the Rams to within seven, 66-59.
After another Fordham lay-up made it a five-point game, Marcus Stout intercepted a pass and went the length of the floor for a basket, pulling Fordham to within three, 66-63, with 1:09 remaining.
The Rams then got a defensive stop, but couldn't grab the rebound, leading to a foul and sending Jermaine Johnson to the free throw line. Johnson made the first, and missed the second, but Charleston again came up with the rebound, and got two free throw makes from Dustin Scott to extend the lead back to six, 69-63.
Moore hit his fifth three-pointer of the half with a couple of ticks left on the clock to get Fordham within three again, but they would not get any closer, falling by five.
For Fordham, Marcus Stout netted a game-high 19 points to go with five assists, while Mike Moore scored a season-high 17 points and was 5-for-5 from three-point range. Sebastian Greene and Bryant Dunston each had 15 points, with Greene adding eight rebounds and Dunston having four blocks.
Charleston also had four players reach double figures, led by Donavan Monroe, who recorded 15 points of the bench, while Tony White, Jr. and Andrew Goudelock each had 12 points.
The Fordham men's basketball team returns to the floor on Wednesday, November 28th, as they have their annual "Battle of the Bronx" match-up with Manhattan College at 7:00 PM at Draddy Gymnasium.
