Men's Basketball Knocks Off CCSU, 83-60

Bronx, N.Y. – On the 125th anniversary of the first basketball game ever played, the Fordham men's basketball squad gave its fans plenty of reason to celebrate. Graduate guard Javontae Hawkins led four Rams in double figures with 16 points as Fordham broke a six-game losing streak with an 83-60 win over Central Connecticut State University in the Rose Hill Gym.
 
With the win, Fordham improves to 6-7 on the season while Central Connecticut, who dropped its sixth straight, falls to 2-9.
 
The Rams found the prescription to ending a losing streak: Play in the Rose Hill Gym. Fordham improved to 6-2 in the historic venue this year and the Rams are now 20-4 in non-conference games in the gym over the past three years.
 
Fordham won with an efficient offense, scoring the third most points in a game this year, and a stifling defense, forcing the Blue Devils into 24 turnovers and recording eleven steals. The Rams shot 56.6 percent from the field (30-53), including 47.8 percent from behind the arc (11-23).
 

Also scoring in double figures for the Rams were redshirt junior guard Antwoine Anderson, who finished with 15 points and matched his season-high with seven assists, junior Christian Sengfelder, who netted 14 points while hitting four three-pointers, and sophomore guard Joseph Chartouny, who scored 14 points while dishing out six assists and recording three steals.
 
The game started slowly with Fordham holding a three-point lead, 10-7, 4:34 into the game, and the Rams led by four, 21-17, six minutes later when they used a 9-2 spurt to take a 30-19 lead on a pair of Chartouny free throws with 7:04 left in the first.
 
Central Connecticut was able to shave the Fordham lead down to nine, 30-21, less than a minute later but Fordham closed out the half with a 16-2 run over the final 5:51 of the period to take a commanding 46-23 lead at the break. Chartouny led the Fordham run with six points on a pair of three-pointers.
 
The Rams return to action on Friday, December 30 as they open Atlantic 10 play by hosting the Duquesne University Dukes in the Rose Hill Gym at 7:00 p.m.
 
Notes
Fordham now leads the all-time series with Central Connecticut, 2-1.

Ten different players scored for the Rams.
 
Fordham outrebounded Central Connecticut State, 28-27.
 
The Rams have recorded a double figure steal total in eleven of the 13 games this year.
Fordham is a perfect 4-0 this year when outshooting its opponent and 3-0 when scoring more than 80- points.
 
Both teams featured an Antwoine Anderson though the Central Connecticut version spells his first name Antwann.
 
Fordham is 1-0 when William Muirragui opens the game with the declaration of "This is our house. Let's go Rams!"