Nov. 14, 2008

Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham University men's basketball squad will open its 2008-09 season tonight as the Rams host Columbia University in the historic Rose Hill Gym at 8:00 p.m.

The game will be broadcast live on WFUV (90.7 FM) and on the internet at wfuv.org. It will also be video streamed live on the internet at fordhamsports.com.

Three local newspapers published their 2008-09 Fordham men's basketball preview this week. Links to all can be found below:

NY Daily News

NY Post

The Journal News

The Rams have won their past two season openers, defeating Columbia last year and Sacred Heart in 2006-07, three of their past four and four of their past five season openers.

Overall, Fordham is 72-26 (.735) in season openers since 1908-09, 75-14 (.843) in home openers, while Fordham is 3-2 in season openers under Dereck Whittenburg.

The 2008-09 Rams return five players from last year's squad, led by senior Luke Devine and junior Brenton Butler, the 2008-09 captains. Also back from last year are senior forwards Chris Bethel and Zach Wing, junior guards Herb Tanner and Matt Beck, junior forward Ryan Munson and sophomore guard/forward Mike Moore.

Fordham will also feature six new faces on the team this year. The newcomers include six freshmen and a sophomore transfer.

The six freshmen include two sets of high school teammates. Guards Jio Fontan and Alberto Estwick join the Fordham program after leading St. Anthony's (N.J.) High School to an undefeated season and the number one national high school ranking while forwards Lamar Thomas and Khiry Gordon arrive at Rose Hill after playing together at Solebury (Pa.) School last year. The other freshmen are guard Trey Blue, who played at Brewster Academy last winter, and walk-on guard Ryan Hage from Brockport High School.

They are joined on the roster by sophomore forward Jacob Green, a transfer from West Virginia, who will become eligible at the end of the first semester.