Photo Gallery Bronx, N.Y. – Fordham fans have waited 24 years to see the men's basketball team play a postseason game. Tonight the wait ended but unfortunately the Rams they couldn't overcome a Boston University team that took advantage of second chances to defeat Fordham, 69-66, in the first round of the 2016 CollegeInsider.com Tournament in the Rose Hill Gym.
With the loss, Fordham closes out its season with a 17-14 record while Boston University improves to 19-14.
The Rams fell despite
Ryan Rhoomes notching his fourth straight double-double, the eighth in the last nine games, finishing with eleven points and a game-high 15 rebounds to go with five blocks.
Ryan RhoomesRhoomes was just one of four Rams to score in double figures as
Christian Sengfelder finished with a season-high 21 points, shooting 5-for7 from behind the arc, while
Mandell Thomas added 12 points and
Joseph Chartouny netted ten to go with a game-high nine assists.
The game was the first postseason appearance for the Rams since they faced Massachusetts in the first round of the 1992 NCAA Championship while it was the first home postseason game since the 1991 squad hosted Massachusetts in the second round of the NIT.
The Terriers outrebounded the Rams, 35-29, with 12 of the 35 rebounds coming in the offensive glass which they converted into 17 points.
The contest was close throughout with neither team holding more than a six-point lead. The game was tied 13 times, the final at 62 on a Sengfelder layup with 1:45 left.
John Papale answered with a corner three for the Terriers to give Boston University the lead for good, 65-62, 19 seconds later. Chartouny then turned the ball over and the Rams fouled Cheddi Mosley who sank both free throws with just over a minute left.
The Rams pulled within three, 67-64, when Rhoomes convert a Chartouny pass under the basket but Fordham was forced to foul and Eric Johnson buried a pair of charity shots to make it a 69-64 game with 27 seconds left.
Thomas was fouled attempting a three for the Rams with 14 seconds on the clock but was only able to convert two of the three free throws to make it a 69-66 game.
Fordham fouled Eric Fanning with ten seconds remaining and Fanning missed the front end of a one-and-one, giving the Rams one last chance. With only five team fouls, Boston University chose to foul with four seconds on the clock and the Rams couldn't get the ensuing inbounds pass to anyone as the horn sounded.
NotesThomas' 12 points to bring his career total to 1,385, 13th on the school's career scoring list
Rhoomes' 15 rebounds to bring his career total to 936, sixth on the Fordham all-time rebounding list
Rhoomes recorded 13 double-doubles this year and 20 for his career
Rhoomes entered the game leading the A-10 and ranking sixth in the nation in field goal percentage (.650) and shot 5-for-9 in the game to bring his season percentage to .647 (187-289),a Fordham single season record
Rhoomes' five blocks brings his career total to 146, fifth all-time at Fordham. His 57 blocks this year is the tenth best single season total for the Rams
Sengfelder's previous season-high was 17 which he accomplished twice, the last time vs. Davidson
Chartouny's nine assists bring his season total to 161, a Fordham freshman record and tied for the fifth best single season total to school history
Fordham is now 0-5 all-time against Boston University
