Richmond, Va. – The Guinness World Records documents that Richmond's In Your Ear Recording Studios was the site where American Michael J. Stuart set the record for highest-pitched note ever whistled. Well VCU's Stuart C. Siegel Center may have set a record tonight for loudest crowd noise at a sporting event as VCU used a stifling defense to defeat Fordham, 64-46, in the Atlantic 10 opener for each squad.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 6-7 overall, while VCU improves to 11-3.
Sophomore forward
Onyi Eyisi matched his career-high for Fordham with 13 points, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, and he added five rebounds, while senior guard
Erten Gazi added ten points and sophomore guard
Jalen Cobb added seven.
Fordham kept it close in the first half, using an 8-0 run to make it a 32-25 game before a VCU three at the halftime buzzer gave the home squad a ten-point halftime lead, 35-25.
VCU came out strong to open the second half, using back-to-back three pointers to take a 41-25 lead over the first minute of the period.
Fordham managed to get back within eleven, 41-30, on a
Jalen Cobb layup at the 18:29 mark but VCU used a 16-1 run to take a commanding 57-31 lead with 11:03 remaining.
Takeaways
•
Onyi Eyisi scored Fordham's first basket of the new year.
• Fordham shot 50.0 percent from the field in the first half (9-18).
• Fordham played without the services of senior guard
Antwon Portley, who missed his second straight game with an injury.
• The Rams entered the game holding opponents to 59.7 ppg, tops in the conference and 16th in the NCAA.
• VCU entered the game allowing opponents just 61.9 ppg, third best in the A-10.
• Fordham foes shot just .392 (250-637) from the field entering the game, third best among A-10 teams, but VCU shot 42.6 (23-54) percent tonight.
• Fordham has held every opponent to shooting under 50 percent from field this year.
• The Rams are 3-21 in Atlantic 10 openers since joining the conference in 1995-1996.
• Fordham has never won an A-10 opener on the road.
• The Fordham managers defeated the VCU managers, 68-47, on Wednesday night.
By the Numbers
5 – Assists by
Kyle Rose, a season-high.
6 - Field goals made by
Onyi Eyisi, tying his career-high.
18 – Turnovers by Fordham, a season-high.
21 - Consecutive home wins for VCU.
46 - Points scored by Fordham, a season low.
144 - Consecutive sellouts for VCU in the Stuart C. Siegel Center
What's Next?
• The Rams continue Atlantic 10 play on Sunday, January 6, as they host the La Salle University Explorers in the historic Rose Hill Gym at 2:00 p.m.
• It will be the 58th meeting between Fordham and La Salle on the hardwood.
• The Explores lead the all-time series, which started in the 1953-54 season, 40-17.
• La Salle won both of last year's meetings, 73-71, in Philadelphia on January 23, and, 72-57, in the Rose Hill Gym on March 9.
