KINGSTON, R.I. - In Catholic tradition, Valentine is the patron saint not only of engaged couples and lovers, but of travelers and those suffering from fainting spells. It looks like St. Valentine was keeping an eye on the roving Fordham men's basketball squad and their fans today, many who may have felt lightheaded late in the game, as the visiting Rams used a
Roor Akhuar three-pointer with 22 seconds left to force overtime and then outscored the University of Rhode Island, 7-3, in the extra period to takeaway a 70-66 Atlantic 10 win at the Ryan Center.
With the win, Fordham improves to 14-12 overall, 5-8 in the Atlantic 10, while Rhode Island falls to 14-11 overall, 5-7 in the conference.
Grad student guard
Dejour Reaves led Fordham with 19 points, five rebounds, and five steals, while junior forward
Rikus Schulte added 17 points, shooting 7-for-8 from the field, and nine rebounds. Senior guard
Christian Henry chipped in with 16 points, six rebounds, and four assists, and hit a big three with 1:15 left in overtime.
How it Happened
• Fordham trailed for all of regulation until a
Roor Akhuar three with 22 seconds left tied the game at 63.
• Rhode Island couldn't get a shot off on the final possession of regulation as the game went to overtime, Fordham's first overtime game of the year.
• Neither team scored in the extra period until Schulte hit one of two free throws with 3:25 remaining to give Fordham its first lead of the day, 64-63.
• Just under two minutes later Rhode Island retied the game with a free throw before Henry put Fordham head for good, 67-64, beating the shot clock with a three-pointer at the 1:15 mark.
• Rhode Island connected on one of two free throw attempts with 51 seconds on the clock to make it a two-point game, 67-65, and 32 seconds later again hit one of two to pull withing one, 67-66.
• Reaves was fouled driving to the basket and made both free throws to put the road Rams up three, 69-66, with 15 ticks remaining.
•
Abass Bodija then rebounded a Rhode Island miss with four seconds left and made one of two free throws to ice the game for Fordham.
Notes
•
Dejour Reaves has scored in double figures in all 24 games he has appeared in this year.
• For the second straight game Fordham found itself down double digits in the first half and came back for the win (the largest deficit for the rams was 12, 16-4 seven minutes into the game).
• Fordham held Rhode Island to one made field goal over the final seven minutes of regulation and for the entire overtime period.
• Fordham won the battle of the boards, 41-33.
• Fordham won for the fourth time this year when trailing at the half.
• Sophomore center
Jack Whitbourn missed his third straight game with] an injury.
• Former Rams Luke Devine and Albie Evans were in attendance.
• Fordham entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense (65.1) and held Rhode Island to six points below its season average.
• Fordham has taken three of the past four meetings with Rhode Island.
• The two teams will meet again in the regular season finale on March 7 in the Rose Hill Gym.
By the Numbers
6 – Rebounds by
Christian Henry, one shy of his career-high.
10 – Steals logged by Fordham with Reaves accounting for five and Henry four.
30 – Points in the paint for Fordham (compared to 20 for Rhode Island).
53.8% - Fordham's second half field goal percentage (14-26).
73 – Career double figure scoring games for
Dejour Reaves.
1,591 – All-time wins for Fordham.
What's Next?
• The Rams continue Atlantic 10 play by returning to the historic Rose Hill Gym to host the Loyola University Chicago Ramblers on Wednesday, February 18, at 7:00 p.m.
• It will be the sixth meeting between Fordham and Loyola Chicago on the hardwood.
• Loyola leads the all-time series, 3-2, taking the past two matchups, including a 70-66 win last year in Chicago on January 22 as Sheldon Edwards, Jr., netted 13 points for the Ramblers while
Jackie Johnson III and
Japhet Medor each scored 22 for the Rams.
