Fordham Basketball Hosts Rhode Island on Saturday at 7:00 PM on SNY

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Bronx, N.Y. (January 31, 2014) - The Fordham University men's basketball squad continues the 2014 Atlantic 10 season as they host the University of Rhode Island Rams in the historic Rose Hill Gym on Saturday night, February 7, at 7:00 p.m. in a game that will be televised live on SportsNet NY (SNY) with Dave Raymond on play-by-play and Vin Parise on color.
 
The Rams will celebrate the inaugural National College Basketball Autism Awareness Day during the game, raising funds for the Fordham chapter of Autism Speaks. Autism Awareness in College Hoops is based on the idea of two coaches who have a passion for spreading autism awareness. Towson's Pat Skerry and Marshall's Tom Herrion, both who have sons on the autism spectrum, started the program and it quickly spread. Both the Fordham and Rhode Island coaching staffs will be wearing the Autism Speaks puzzle piece along with more than 80 other coaches and sportscasters during their games on Feb. 1 to support the cause and donations will be accepted at the game.
 
In addition to the coaches wearing the pins, temporary tattoos will be given to players, cheer, dance and audience and an "Autism Speaks" Banner will be hung in the gym. The game ball will be presented to the officials by two members of the Autism Speaks club along with Chris Ryan, brother of Fordham men's basketball administrative assistant, Casey Ryan.
 
At halftime, a local CYO team will wear blue Autism Shirts as they play an exhibition game and there will even be blue cotton candy available from concessions.
 
The game will be streamed live on the Atlantic 10 Digital Network and broadcast on WFUV (90.7 FM ) and www.wfuv.org and can be followed live via livestats. Follow the links above.
 
Fordham enters the game with an 8-12 overall record, 1-6 in the Atlantic 10, after a 76-60 conference loss at VCU on Wednesday night. Rhode Island enters the game with an 11-10 overall record, 2-4 in the Atlantic 10, after an 88-76 conference win over La Salle in Kingston last Saturday.
 
The Rams will be led into the game by the top scoring backcourt in the Atlantic 10, senior guard Branden Frazier, a preseason Third Team All-Atlantic 10 pick, and freshman guard Jon Severe, a product of Christ the King High School. Severe, a four-time Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, is averaging an Atlantic 10-best 19.7 ppg, while Frazier is right behind him, averaging 17.1 ppg, fifth best in the conference, and he has two double-doubles year.
 
Over his three-year career, Frazier has netted 1,419 points, good for 12^th on the Fordham all-time scoring list.
 
Saturday night's contest will be the 59^th meeting between Fordham and Rhode Island on the hardwood. Rhode Island leads the all-time series, which started in the 1941-42 season, 34-24. Fordham won last year's matchup, 66-63, on January 26 as Branden Frazier scored 20 points and Mandell Thomas added 17 and seven rebounds.