Bronx, N.Y. – One team entered the game with a perfect 3-0 conference record and was the preseason pick to win the conference. The other was 0-3 and coming off four straight losses. But for most of the game the fans in the Rose Hill Gym couldn't tell which team was which as Fordham gave Saint Louis all it could handle before coming up just short and falling to the Billikens, 63-60, in an Atlantic 10 contest.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 9-8 overall, 0-4 in the Atlantic 10, while Saint Louis improves to 13-4 overall, 4-0 in the conference.
Freshman guard
Jalen Cobb led the Rams with 12 points while junior guard
Antwon Portley added eleven and junior guard
Erten Gazi finished with ten points and seven rebounds.
Fordham trailed for most of the game but took a 57-52 lead on back-to-back Portley three-pointers, the second a long three with 4:19 remaining.
The Rams led by three, 58-55, a minute later but the Billikens scored the next six points to take a 61-58 lead with 1:18 on the clock.
A Cobb jumper with 51 seconds left pulled Fordham within one, 61-60, but two Saint Louis free throws with 22 seconds left made it a three-point game.
Fordham had two chances to tie the game but a Cobb three-pointer with five second left bounced off the rim to
David Pekarek, whose three at the buzzer fell short.
Takeaways
• Fordham entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 and ranking 38th in the NCAA in turnover margin (+3.4) and committed just seven miscues tonight compared to 12 for the Billikens.
• The Rams outscored the Billikens, 26-16, on points in the paint.
• Sophomore guard
Ivan Raut missed the game due to illness, the first game he has missed in his Fordham career.
• Junior forward
Jesse Bunting hit a buzzer-beating three-point at the end of the first half, his second career three-pointer.
• Freshman guard
Nick Honor failed to reach double digits in scoring for just the second time this year (he finished with six).
• It was the sixth game this year for Fordham that was decided by three points or less.
• The game was a matchup between Fordham and Saint Louis is part of the nationwide Jesuit Basketball Spotlight project, using Jesuit basketball to raise awareness of Jesuit education.
By the Numbers
2 – Blocks by both
Onyi Eyisi and
Chuba Ohams, giving Eyisi 23 and Ohams 21 on the season.
7 – Team-high rebounds by both
Chuba Ohams and
Erten Gazi, a season-high for the junior guard.
8 – Steals for the Rams, led by two each from
Jalen Cobb and
Erten Gazi.
10 – Points by
Erten Gazi, a season-high.
42 – Rebounds by Saint Louis who entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in rebounding offense, averaging 39.2/game.
What's Next
• The Rams travel to Washington, D.C., to face the George Mason University Patriots in an Atlantic 10 contest in the EagleBank Arena on Saturday, January 19, at 7:00 p.m.
• It will be the tenth meeting between Fordham and George Mason on the hardwood.
• The Rams lead the all-time series, 6-3, taking the first six meetings.
