Box Score Jan. 31, 2010
Final Stats
Cincinnati, Ohio -
To have a chance to beat Xavier, who entered the game with the top-ranked Atlantic 10 offense, Fordham knew it would have to try and limit the scoring Musketeers' chances while maximizing its own opportunities. And the Rams held their own for much of the first half before seeing Xavier explode for 63 second half points as Xavier defeated Fordham, 108-60, in an Atlantic 10 contest at the Cintas Center.
With the loss, the Rams fall to 2-18 overall, 0-8 in the Atlantic 10, while Xavier improves to 15-6 overall, 7-1 in the conference to remain in a first place tie.
Brenton Butler and Chris Gaston both put on impressive offensive games for the Rams, scoring 26 and 24 points, respectively. Unfortunately for Fordham, no one else could provide any offense as just two other Rams connected on a field goal in the game. Gaston just missed recording his third straight double-double, finishing with nine rebounds, while also recording three steals, two blocks and two assists.
Xavier jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead 3:30 into the game and led by ten again two minutes later, 14-4, when Fordham scored nine straight points to cut the Musketeer lead to one, 14-13, with 11:02 left in the half. Butler started the run with a three-pointer which was followed by a Gaston layup to pull Fordham to five, 14-9. Another Gaston layup followed by a jumper made it a one-point game.
The Musketeers used a Jamel McLean layup and a Brad Redford three-pointer over the next 1:20 to bump the lead up to six, 19-13. Butler responded with a three-pointer for the Rams to make it a 19-16 game with 9:31 remaining in the period but a Jordon Crawford layup and pair of free throws put Xavier up seven, 23-16, with 7:45 left.
Later in the first, a Butler jumper with 4:54 remaining pulled the Rams to within six, 28-22, but the Musketeers used an 11-2 run to take a 15-point lead, 39-24, on a Crawford jumper with 2:31 left in the half and Xavier took a 45-32 advantage into the locker room at the break.
Xavier opened the second half with a 14-4 spurt to take a 23-point lead, 59-36, before a Butler jumper made it a 59-38 game with 14:33 remaining but that was as close as the Rams would get.
The Rams will next be in action on Saturday, February 6th , as they host the Charlotte 49ers in an Atlantic 10 conference match-up in the Rose Hill Gym at 2:00 p.m.
Notes
Gaston, who was named the Atlantic 10 Co-Rookie of the Week earlier in the day, was 11-for-14 from the free throw stripe, setting a season-high for free throw made for the Rams while tying his season-high for free throws attempts...The Rams shot 79.3% (23-29) as a team from the charity stripe... Ryan Hage sunk a pair of free throws with five seconds left to record his first collegiate point...Xavier has now won seven straight against the Rams and lead the all-time series, 19-3...The Musketeers also extended their home court winning streak to 20 games, the fifth longest in the nation, and their Atlantic 10 home court streak to 28, the second longest home court winning streak in conference history.
