Rochester, N.Y. – The very first thermometers were manufactured in Rochester in 1851. If someone were taking the temperature of the Fordham University men's basketball squad today the mercury would have been low in the first half before quickly rising in the second as the Rams cut a 21-point deficit to four over the final 20 minutes but they could get no closer as Fordham fell to St. Bonaventure, 71-64, in an Atlantic 10 game in the Blue Cross Arena.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 9-7 overall, 0-3 in the Atlantic 10, while St. Bonaventure improves to 6-10 overall, 2-1 in the conference.
Fordham's second half comeback attempt was led by freshman guard
Nick Honor, who scored all of his game-high 23 points in the final 20 minutes, hitting six three-pointers. Freshman guard
Jalen Cobb also netted double figures, finishing with 14 points and he added five assists and three steals.
"I was pleased with our second half effort," said head coach
Jeff Neubauer. "But we had a too long of a defensive lapse in the middle of the game and it was tough for us to recover ."
The Bonnies closed out the first half with a 17-2 run to take a 31-15 lead at the break and got the lead to as many as 21, 48-27, with 11:40 remaining.
The Rams then went on a 22-6 run to cut the deficit to five, 54-49, on an
Erten Gazi jumper in the lane with 5:15 on the clock.
A little over two minutes later, an Honor three made it a four-point game, 56-52, with three minutes remaining but that was as close as the Rams would get as the Bonnies converted 13 of their final 14 free throws.
Takeaways
•
Nick Honor has scored in double digits in 15 of the 16 games this year.
• The Rams entered the game third in the Atlantic 10 in three-point defense (.293) and held the Bonnies to shooting 3-for-13 (.231) from behind the arc.
• St. Bonaventure hit just two field goals in final eight minutes, the second a breakaway dunk just before the final horn.
• The Rams were outscored 22-3 from the charity stripe.
• The game was Fordham's sixth appearance in the Flour (or Flower) City where the Rams are now 4-2.
• Fordham's top win in Rochester was an 84-63 win over California, a team which featured three future NBA players, in the first round of the 1971 Kodak Classic at the War Memorial.
• The two teams will meet for a second time this year on February 23 in the Rose Hill Gym.
• The Rams attended the Rochester Americans – Toronto Marlies hockey game on Friday night in the Blue Cross Arena.
By the Numbers
6 – Three-pointers made by
Nick Honor, a season-high for the freshman and tying the season-high for a Ram (
Ty Perry vs. CCNY).
8 – Points for
Erten Gazi, a season-high in just his third game playing for the Rams.
9 – Three-point field goals for Fordham, who entered the game second in the Atlantic 10, averaging 9.1/game.
10 – The game marked the tenth time this year that the Rams committed fewer turnovers than their opponent (Fordham is now 6-4 in said contests).
15 – First half points for Fordham, a season-low.
20 – Bench points for Fordham, led by eight from both
Jesse Bunting and
Erten Gazi.
22 – Free throws made by St. Bonaventure, tying a season-high for a Fordham opponent (LIU).
What's Next?
• The Rams return to the historic Rose Hill Gym to host the Saint Louis University Billikens in an Atlantic 10 contest on Tuesday, January 15, at 7:00 p.m.
• The game will be part of the 2019 Jesuit Basketball Spotlight.
• It will be the 15th meeting between Fordham and Saint Louis on the hardwood.
• The Billikens lead the all-time series, which started in 1971-72, 11-3, and have won nine of the last eleven match-ups, including a 73-50 win in St. Louis last year.
