Men’s Basketball Improves to 3-0

 Bronx, N.Y. – The year was 1972. Gas was 55 cents a gallon, digital watches were introduced, and it was the last time a Fordham men's basketball team opened the season 3-0 against Division I opponents. Until tonight. Junior Chuba Ohams led all scorers with 13 points and sophomore Onyi Eyisi notched his first career double-double with ten points and career-high 15 rebounds to lead the Rams to a 58-41 win over Marist in the Rose Hill Gym on Saturday night.
 
With the win, Fordham improves to 3-0 on the season while Marist falls to 1-2.
 
Senior Antwon Portley also finished with double figures with 12 points while Jalen Cobb added eight points, four rebounds, four steals, and two blocks.
 
The Fordham defense limited the Red Foxes to shooting 26.9 percent from the field (14-52), including 28.6 from behind the arc (6-21) and outrebounded Marist 47-31.
 
The Rams used a 15-3 late first half run to turn a 17-14 deficit into a 29-20 halftime lead. Ivan Raut paced the run with six points on a pair of threes.
 
An Ohams basket early in the second gave Fordham an eleven-point lead, 31-20, and Fordham maintained the double digit led the rest of the way.
 
Takeaways
• It was only the third meeting between the two schools, the first since 1980.
 
• Fordham has taken all three meetings with Marist.
 
• It was the first time this season that Fordham did not record double digits steals (the Rams had eight in the game).
 
• Fordham allowed just 13 second half Marist rebounds.
 
By the Numbers
4 – Steals by Jalen Cobb, a career-high (previous high was three which he accomplished six times).
 
13 – Offensive rebounds by Fordham.
 
15 – Rebounds by Onyi Eyisi, a career-high (previous high was eleven vs. James Madison last year).
 
41 – Points scored by Marist, the second-lowest total by a Fordham opponent under head coach Jeff Neubauer (low is 40 by Saint Louis in 2017).
 
What's Next?
• The Rams return to action on Friday, November 22, as they travel St. Thomas, USVI, to compete in the 2019 Paradise Jam.
 
• Fordham opens the tournament against Nevada at 3:15 p.m. (EST)
 
• It will be the first meeting between Fordham and Nevada on the hardwood.
 
• It will be Fordham's second appearance at the Paradise Jam as the Rams went 1-2 in the tournament in 2005 with a win over Norfolk State and losses to Old Dominion and Georgia, coached by current Fordham assistant coach Dennis Felton.