Men’s Basketball Falls at Rhode Island

Kingston, R.I. – The world's largest bug can be found on the roof of New England Pest Control in Providence, R.I., about 24 miles from the University of Rhode Island campus. It's a big blue termite, 58 feet long and 928 times actual termite size. Today the largest bugs for the Fordham men's basketball squad weren't as big but were just as pesky as Rhode Island seemed to come up with the big shots when needed as the home Rams defeated Fordham, 86-67, in an Atlantic 10 game at the Ryan Center.
 
The decision means that the two teams will meet again on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in the first round of the 2025 Atlantic 10 Championship at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.
 
With the loss, Fordham closes out the regular season with an 11-20 overall record, 3-15 in the Atlantic 10, while Rhode Island improves to 18-12 overall, 7-11 in the conference.
 
Senior guard Jackie Johnson III led Fordham with 19 points and three steals while grad student guard Japhet Medor added 15 points and three steals, and junior forward Jahmere Tripp finished with 13 points and six rebounds.
 
The game started slowly for the visiting Rams as Rhode Island scored the first eight points before a pair of Matt Zona free throws got Fordham on the board 3:14 into the game.
 
Rhode Island would build the lead to 12, 17-5, with 14:05 remaining before an Abdou Tsimbila put back and Johnson driving layup pulled Fordham within eight, 17-9, at the 12:57 mark.
 
But Rhode Island quickly got the lead back to double digits, using an 8-3 run to take a 25-12 lead midway through the half.
 
Fordham clawed its way back, responding with a 12-5 spurt to cut the deficit to six, 30-24, following a Tripp layup with 4:18 left.
 
Fordham trailed by six again twice more over the next three minutes, the final at 38-32 on a Rivera layup before Rhode Island closed out the half with a Cam Estevez three-pointer to take a 41-32 halftime lead.
 
A Johnson basket 2:06 into the second half cut the Rhode Island lead to seven, 41-34, and a Johnson three-pointer with 14:59 left pulled the Rams within six, 47-41.
 
But the home Rams then ran off eight straight points to take a 55-41 lead with 11:17 remaining and the closest Fordham would get from that point would be eleven, 58-47, on a Romad Dean three with 8:51 on the clock.
 
Takeaways
• Jackie Johnson III has scored in double figures in 30 of the 31 games this year.

• Japhet Medor has scored in double figures in 14 of the past 17 games.

• Over the past 15 games Japhet Medor has 71 assists with just 25 turnovers.
 
• Abdou Tsimbila is shooting .576 (34-59) over the past ten games.
 
• Rhode Island entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring, averaging 78.0 ppg
 
• Rhode Island entered the game second in the A-10 in field goal percentage (.468)
 
By the Numbers
10 – Steals by Fordham, the seventh double figure steals game for the Rams this year.
 
18.7 – Jackie Johnson III's scoring average in Atlantic 10 games.
 
59 – Career double figure scoring games for Jackie Johnson III.
 
81 - Three-pointers made by Jackie Johnson III this year, moving him into a tie for fourth with Dave Buckner on the Fordham single season list.
 
127 – Career games played at Fordham for Abdou Tsimbila, second all-time for the Rams.
   
688 – Career rebounds at Fordham for Abdou Tsimbila, who had four today, 15th on the career rebounding list.
 
1,110 – Career collegiate points for Japhet Medor.
 
1,205 – Career collegiate points for Jackie Johnson III.
 
What's Next?
• The Rams, seeded 15th, will open play at the 2025 Atlantic 10 Championship on Wednesday, March 12, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., against the 10^th-seeded University of Rhode Island Rams at 2:00 p.m.

• It will be the second meeting between the two Rams at the A-10 Championship, the first coming in the 2007 quarterfinals, a 73-69 win for Rhode Island.