Washington, D.C. – Foggy Bottom, the area of the District of Columbia where George Washington University is located, is thought to have received its name due to an atmospheric quirk of its low lying, marshy riverside location, which made it susceptible to concentrations of fog. There was no fog tonight in the Smith Center but the Fordham one-two combo of freshman forward
Joel Soriano and junior guard
Josh Colon left the Colonial fans in a fog as they led the Rams to a 63-52 Atlantic 10 win over George Washington on Wednesday night.
With the win, Fordham snaps a ten-game losing streak and improves to 8-21 overall, 2-15 in the Atlantic 10, while George Washington falls to 12-18 overall, 6-11 in the conference.
Soriano recorded his fourth straight double-double with 14 points and 15 rebounds while Colon netted a game-high 17 points. Senior guard
Erten Gazi also finished in double figures for the Rams with 12 points and he grabbed seven rebounds.
The Colonials took a 48-43 lead on a three-pointer with 5:54 remaining when Colon took over, scoring six straight points to give the Rams a 49-48 lead with 4:08 on the clock.
An
Antwon Portley three made it a 9-0 Fordham run and put Fordham up 52-48 and, after a George Washington basket, Fordham scored six more answered points to take a 59-50 lead with just under a minute left.
Takeaways
• It is the first Atlantic 10 series sweep for Fordham since the Rams defeated UMass twice in 2016.
• It was Fordham's first win at George Washington in 15 games.
• Sophomore
Jalen Cobb was limited to six points but the Rams were a +14 when he was in the game.
•
Ty Perry, the lone Ram to appear in all 28 games entering tonight's contest, did not play.
• In 24 of the 29 games this season, the Rams have held their opponent to under its season scoring average (GW entered the game averaging 66.6 ppg).
•
Kyle Rose, who hails from nearby Upper Marlboro, Maryland, had a large cheering contingent at the game.
• Fordham won for the first time in 15 games this year when trailing at the half.
• The Rams have won three straight over the Colonials.
• Fordham outscored George Washington 34-22 in the paint.
• The Rams outrebounded the Colonials 37-34 and are now 6-2 in games that they outrebound the opponent.
• Former Rams Dan Blaine and
Brenton Petty attended the game.
• George Washington entered the game with the top two three-point shooters in the Atlantic 10 (Jamison Battle (2.79/game) and Maceo Jack (2.69/game) but each connected on just two tonight.
• It was Senior Night for the Colonials who honored five players (who all started) and three managers in a pregame ceremony.
• The Colonials have a special red seat behind the scorer's table for Arnold "Red" Auerbach, a 1940 GW graduate and Colonial Hall of Famer.
By the Numbers
6:45 – Time in which the Rams trailed in the game.
9.9 – Points/game for
Joel Soriano over the past nine games.
11.4 – Rebounds/game for
Joel Soriano over the past nine games.
12 – Steals for Fordham, the ninth double-digit steals games for the Rams this year.
14 – Points by
Joel Soriano, tying his season-high (which he has done three times now).
17 – Points for
Josh Colon, tying his season-high which he set last Saturday at Saint Joseph's.
21.7% - George Washington's three-point shooting percentage (5-23).
What's Next?
• The Rams close out the Atlantic 10 regular season on Saturday, March 7, as they host the George Mason University Patriots in the historic Rose Hill Gym at 2:00 p.m. for Senior Day.
• Senior guards
Antwon Portley and
Erten Gazi, along with senior manager
Tom Healey, will be honored before the game.
• It will be the eleventh meeting between Fordham and George Mason on the hardwood.
• The Rams lead the all-time series, 7-3, taking the first six meetings.
