Bronx, N.Y. – Some species of rams are known for their climbing skills, able to scale the steepest mountain terrain. Tonight the Fordham University men's basketball Rams did their best to scale the obstacle that was the nationally ranked University of Rode Island Rams but the ascent proved to be too steep for Fordham, who fell to #24/23 Rhode Island, 78-58, in an Atlantic 10 game in the Rose Hill Gym.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 6-14 overall, 1-7 in the Atlantic 10, while Rhode Island, who won its eleventh straight, improves to 16-3 overall, 8-0 in the conference.
Fordham was led by senior guard
Will Tavares, who netted 17 points while junior forward
Prokop Slanina added 13 points and five rebounds.
Fordham was defeated at its own game as Rhode Island forced 23 Fordham turnovers which the visiting Rams turned into 35 points.
Rhode Island jumped out to an 8-0 lead three minutes into the contest as the home Rams were forced to start climbing early. Fordham trailed by eight again, 12-4, with 13:09 left in the half but used a pair of
Cavit Havsa free throws, one charity shot from
Perris Hicks and a David Pekarek layup over the next 1:25 to pull within three, 12-9, following Pekarek's basket.
The visitors built the lead to nine, 18-9, with 9:16 remaining in the period but a Hicks three started a 10-2 run as Fordham made it a one-point game, 20-19, with 6:57 on the clock following an
Ivan Raut three-pointer.
After a Fatts Russell layup boosted the Rhode Island lead to three, Raut tied the game at 22 with another trifecta with 5:14 left.
But Rhode Island would close out the half on a 14-5 run to take a 36-27 lead at the break and opened the second half with four unanswered points to take a 40-27 lead 1:20 into the second half.
Takeaways
The game was the 16th time in his 19 games this year that
Will Tavares scored in double figures.
Tavares scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half and is now averaging 9.8 ppg in the second half this year.
The game was the first time that the Rams hosted a top-25 program since a game with then eleventh-ranked Butler on February 16, 2013.
Both
Joseph Chartouny and
Prokop Slanina left the game with an injury but both returned later in the contest.
Rhode Island now leads the all-time series, which started in the 1941-42 season, 38-28.
By the Numbers
13 – Steals by Rhode Island, a season-high for a Fordham opponent.
220 – Career steals for
Joseph Chartouny, who had five tonight, moving him ahead of Dave Maxwell (1979-1983) and into fourth place on the Fordham career list.
391 – Career assists for
Joseph Chartouny, who had three tonight, placing him sixth on the Fordham all-time assists list.
What's Next?
The Rams host the University of Massachusetts Minutemen in an Atlantic 10 matchup in the historic Rose Hill Gym on Saturday, January 27, at 2:00 p.m. on the NBC Sports Network.
UMass leads the all-time series, 29-15.
Fordham has taken the past three meetings, including a 71-68 win in Amherst last January behind 20 points and nine rebounds from Chris Sengfelder and 18 points from
Javontae Hawkins.
