St. Thomas, U.S.V.I. – It was like something out of a Hollywood script. Just before today's Paradise Jam game between Fordham University and Grand Canyon University was about to start, the University of the Virgin Islands Sports and Fitness Center experienced a blackout. A few seconds later, the lights came back on and from that point forward it seemed like a different Fordham team than the one which competed yesterday as the Rams led for over 35 minutes of the game and defeated the Lopes, 74-58.
With the win, Fordham improves to 4-1 on the year while Grand Canyon falls to 2-5.
Junior forward
Chuba Ohams, who was named the player of the game, paced the Rams with 15 points and eight rebounds while sophomore forward
Onyi Eyisi added ten points and nine rebounds.
Fordham led by four at the break, 35-31, and opened the second half with a 14-7 run to take a 49-38 lead 6:10 into the half.
Six straight Grand Canyon points got the Fordham advantage down to five, 49-44, two minutes later but
Josh Colon capped a 6-0 Ram run with a three-pointer to put Fordham back up double figures, 55-44, midway through the second half.
Fordham would get the lead to as many as 17, 68-51, on a
Jalen Cobb three-point play with 4:09 on the clock and went on to the 74-58 win.
Takeaways
• Ohams and Eyisi combined for 25 points and 17 rebounds one day after being held to seven points and six rebounds.
• Ohams shot 6-for-8 from the field.
•
Jalen Cobb made his first start of the season.
• The game was Fordham's first against a team currently in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).
• The Rams have played four teams who were in the WAC at the time of the game (Arizona, BYU, New Mexico, and Texas State).
• Grand Canyon is coached by former NBA All-Star Dan Majerle.
By the Numbers
8 – Points by
Josh Colon, a season-high.
10 – Points scored by senior guard
Erten Gazi and sophomore guard
Jalen Cobb.
10 – Turnovers by the Rams, a season-low.
12 – Assists by Fordham, one shy of its season-high.
16.7% - Three-point shooting percentage for Grand Canyon (3-18).
56.4 – Defensive scoring average for the Rams through the first five games, tops in the Atlantic 10.
70 – Points scored by the Rams, a season-high.
1,533 – All-time wins for Fordham.
What's Next?
• The Rams will face Western Kentucky, who defeated Illinois State in the second game today, in the fourth-place game of the 2019 Paradise Jam on Monday, November 25, at 3:15 p.m. (EST).
• It will be the fifth meeting between the Rams and the Hilltoppers.
• Western Kentucky leads the all-time series, 3-1, and took the last meeting, 80-59, in 2005.
• Fordham is 6-19 against teams currently in Conference USA.
