July 15, 2008
Bronx, N.Y. -
The Fordham University men's basketball squad will have Atlantic 10 home-and-home series with Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Xavier this winter, according to the revamped league schedule for the 2008-09 season.
The Rams learned that the three teams they will face twice in 2008-09 will now be Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Xavier. Last year was the first season in which Fordham did not play Rhode Island and St. Bonaventure in a home-and-home series since joining the Atlantic 10 in 1995-96, while this season will mark the first time that the Rams will play Xavier in a home-and-home series. Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Xavier replace Duquesne, Charlotte and Temple, who Fordham played twice last winter.
Besides hosting Rhode Island, St. Bonaventure and Xavier, Fordham will also play host to Duquesne, Massachusetts, Richmond, Saint Joseph's and Saint Louis in the Rose Hill Gym.
In other Atlantic 10 road games, the Rams will travel to Charlotte, Dayton, George Washington, La Salle and Temple, the defending Atlantic 10 champions.
Dates and times for the games will be announced at a later date.
The Rams will be looking to rebound from a 12-17 overall record in 2007-08 and will be doing it with a new roster after the graduation of five seniors from last year's squad. Head coach Dereck Whittenburg's Rams will be led by junior Brenton Butler, who averaged 11.0 ppg last year - third best on the team, along with sophomore Mike Moore, who opened his collegiate career averaging 5.0 ppg. Also returning are seniors Luke Devine and Chris Bethel, juniors Herb Tanner and Dan Landisch.
Joining the returning players in 2008-09 will be six new faces, led by freshman guards Jio Fontan and Alberto Estwick from St. Anthony's High School in Jersey City along with freshman forwards Lamar Thomas and Khiry Gordon from Solebury Prep in Pennsylvania. Also joining the Rams for 2008-09 will be freshman guard Trey Blue, who prepped at Brewster Academy last winter, and sophomore forward Jacob Green, who will be eligible at the end of the first semester after transferring to Fordham from West Virginia.
