Men’s Basketball Drops Thriller to Rhode Island

Bronx, N.Y. – Agent 86, played by the late Don Adams, from the television show Get Smart would often utter, "Missed it by that much," while holding up thumb and forefinger. It was a way that he would describe how closely he came to pulling off a spectacular super spy move. That line could aptly apply to the Fordham men's basketball team tonight as a pair of Rhode Island free throws with 6.6 seconds left gave the visiting Rams a 76-75 Atlantic 10 win in the Rose Hill Gym.
 
With the loss, Fordham falls to 7-20 overall, 1-14 in the Atlantic 10, while Rhode Island improves to 20-7 overall, 12-3 in the conference.
 
Senior guard Erten Gazi led Fordham with 15 points, shooting 5-for-8 from the field, while freshman forward Joel Soriano recorded his second straight double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Senior guard Antwon Portley also netted double figures for Fordham with eleven points.
 
Fordham held a 75-74 lead after a Gazi three with 1:08 remaining. Freshman guard Kyle Rose was fouled on the play but he missed the front end of a one-and-one and Rhode Island grabbed the rebound.
 
After the two teams traded possessions, Fordham turned the ball over to Rhode Island with 20 seconds on the clock. Following a timeout, Rhode Island's Antwon Walker missed a three but Jacob Toppin grabbed the rebound and was fouled in the act of shooting. Toppin hit both free throws with 6.6 seconds left.
 
Fordham had one last chance as Josh Colon drove the lane but his layup was knocked away as time expired.
 
Takeaways
• Fordham played without the services of senior Chuba Ohams and sophomore Onyi Eyisi due to injury while Rhode Island's Cyril Langevine also sat out with an injury.
 
• Former Ram Jesse Bunting was at the game.
 
• Fordham had three double-digit scorers in a game for the first time since it had four at Davidson on January 19.
 
• It was only the fourth time in 27 games that a Fordham opponent scored above its season average (Rhode Island entered the game averaging 74.7 ppg).
 
• Fordham outshot Rhode Island (45.0% to 43.5%), the seventh time this year Fordham has outshot its opponent (Fordham is 3-4 in those games).
 
• It was the sixth game this year in which Fordham connected on double-figure three-pointers.
 
• Fordham alum Mike Walczewski, the public address announcer for the New York Knicks, served as the public address announcer tonight.
 
• Rhode Island's Jacob Toppin is the brother of Dayton's Obi Toppin.
 
By the Numbers
3 – Technical fouls called on Fordham players (one for Kyle Rose and two on Ty Perry who was ejected from the game).
 
9.1 – PPG average Joel Soriano over the past seven games.
 
10.9 – RPG average for Joel Soriano over the past seven games.
 
12 – Three-pointers made by Fordham, tying a season-high.
 
14 – Points scored by Joel Soriano, matching his season-high (set against UMass on Saturday).
 
19 – Assists by Fordham, a season-high.
 
70 – Points by Fordham, a season-high.
 
What's Next?
• The Rams continue Atlantic 10 play on Saturday, February 29, as they travel down to Philadelphia to face the Saint Joseph's University Hawks in the Michael J. Hagen Arena at 1:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the 57th meeting between Fordham and Saint Joseph's on the hardwood.
 
• The Hawks lead the all-time series, which started in the 1919-20 season, 38-18, and have won six of the past seven over the Rams.
 
• Saint Joseph's took last year's matchup, 66-52, on February 27 in the Rose Hill Gym as Charlie Brown scored 20 points and Lorenzo Edwards added 18 points and eleven rebounds for the Hawks.