Men's Basketball Shoots Down UMass, 82-69

Bronx, N.Y. – The dictionary definition of resilience is "able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions." But if one wanted a true example of the word they would only have to look at the Fordham University men's basketball squad, a team that has been beset by injury since the beginning of the season and who found itself without senior guard Perris Hicks today, who was out win an illness. But the rest of the team pulled together, a squad that dressed just six scholarship players, and rallied from a ten-point first half deficit to defeat the University of Massachusetts, 82-69, in an Atlantic 10 game in the Rose Hill Gym.
 
With the win, Fordham snaps a six-game losing streak and improves to 7-14 overall, 2-7 in the Atlantic 10, while Massachusetts falls to 10-12 overall, 3-6 in the conference.
 
The Rams were led by junior forward Prokop Slanina and junior guard Joseph Chartouny, who each recorded a double-double. Slanina netted a game-high 19 points and added ten rebounds while Chartouny scored 16 points and dished out a season-high 13 assists. Freshman guard/forward Ivan Raut (16), senior guard Will Tavares (14) and junior guard David Pekárek (12) also netted double figures for the Rams.
 
Sharing was the theme of the day for Fordham, who recorded a season-high 26 assists on 29 baskets while shooting 55.8 percent (29-52) from the field, including 48.0 percent (12-25) from behind the arc, both season-highs.
 
The visitors jumped out to a 23-13 lead midway through the first half before the Rams started to chip away at the lead, eventually cutting it to two, 33-31, following a Raut three-pointer with 1:25 remaining, but the Minutemen took a 35-31 lead into the break.
 
A Carl Pierre three-pointer 1:17 into the second bumped the Massachusetts lead to seven, 38-31, before the Rams got the offense going, using a 19-2 run to take a 50-40 lead on a Raut three with 11:44 on the clock. Slanina led the run with seven points
 
After UMass cut the Fordham lead back to five, 52-47, 1:30 later, Fordham went on an 11-5 spurt to extend its advantage to eleven, 63-52, on a Pekarek three-pointer with 7:55 left. The closest the Minutemen would get from that point was seven, 66-59, with 5:13 remaining.
 
Takeaways
Will Tavares scored in double figures for the 17th time in 20 games this year.

David Pekárek was a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, including 2-for-2 from behind the arc.
 
With Perris Hicks missing the game, Joseph Chartouny and Ivan Raut are the only two Rams to have played in every game this year.
 
The Rams had five players score in double figures for the first time this year.
 
Fordham won for just the second time in 13 games this year when trailing at the half.
 

Fordham has won the past four meetings with the Minutemen but Massachusetts still leads the all-time series, 29-16.
 
Fordham head coach Jeff Neubauer is now 4-0 all-time against UMass.
 
The Rams honored the Katie McBride Foundation during the game. Katie McBride was the sister of former Fordham men's basketball manager Mike McBride, GABELLI '13, who died from Burkitt's Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive childhood cancer, in 2008. The Katie McBride Foundation, honors the memory of Katie and the families of all childhood leukemia victims and other life-threatening diseases. The Rams accepted donations for the foundation to provide funds for the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island and the family support services it provides. Mike, along with his parents, were at the game as well as the Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society of the New York City Police Department, who performed at halftime (the elder Michael McBride is a member of the band).
 
Both coaching staffs wore sneakers with their suits as part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits And Sneakers® Week, a nationwide event that unites coaches across the country to raise funds and awareness about the fight against cancer, and promotes the American Cancer Society as a source of inspiration and hope for those facing cancer. While coaching games during the week, coaches wear sneakers with their game attire as a visible reminder about the importance of nutrition and physical activity in reducing one's cancer risk. NEW in 2018 is an online auction, hosted by eBay for Charity, featuring sneakers and Coaches vs. Cancer ties signed by college basketball coaches.
 
By the Numbers
4 – Blocks by Propkop Slanina, a career-best (previous high was three which he accomplished three times).
 
12 – Three-pointers made by the Rams, tying this season-high, set against Florida A&M.
 
13 – Assists today by Joseph Chartouny, a season-high and one shy of his career-high (previous season-high was nine at La Salle).
 
19 – Points scored by Prokop Slanina, matching his career-high (he also scored 19 vs. LIU earlier this year).
 
26 – Assists by the Rams, a season-high and the most since Fordham recorded 28 against Coppin State in 2015 (previous season-high was 23 against Manhattan).
 
40 – Minutes played by both Joseph Chartouny and Cavit Havsa, a career-high for Havsa.
 
51 – Second half points, the most in a half this year for the Rams.
 
82 – Total points scored by Fordham, a season-high.
 
85.7% - Free throw percentage by Fordham (12-14), tying its season-high.
 
222 – Career steals for Joseph Chartouny, who had two today, good for fourth place on the Fordham career list.
 
404 – Career assists for Joseph Chartouny, who had 13 today, placing him sixth on the Fordham all-time assists list.
 
What's Next?
The Rams will have a week off before traveling to St. Louis, Mo., to face the Saint Louis University Billikens in an Atlantic 10 matchup in the Chaifetz Center on Saturday, February 3, at 8:00 p.m. (ET).
 
Saint Louis leads the all-time series, 10-3.
 
The Rams have taken two of the past three meetings, including a 54-40 win in the Rose Hill Gym last February behind 20 points from Antwoine Anderson and 19 points and seven rebounds from Chris Sengfelder.