Richmond, Va. - Richmond is the only city in the US with class IV rapids within its borders. The James River is the 12th longest river in the United States, and the upper section with its turbulent, raging waters runs through downtown Richmond. At times for the Fordham men's basketball squad, it felt as if they were riding the rapids in today's game against VCU. The visiting Rams thought they found same calm waters early in the second half as they cut the VCU lead to two but Fordham ran into more rough waters later in the game, falling to VCU, 82-63, in an Atlantic 10 game in the Siegel Center.
With the loss, Fordham has its four-game winning streak snapped and goes to 16-13 overall on the season, 7-9 in the Atlantic 10, while VCU improves to 22-7 overall, 13-3 in the conference.
Grad student guard
Dejour Reaves led Fordham with a game-high 22 points, his third straight 20-point game, and he added eight assists, while junior forward
Akira Jacobs turned in a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Senior guard
Christian Henry finished with nine points and four assists for Fordham.
How it Happened
• Fordham trailed by 15 at the half, 37-22, as the visiting Rams shot 6-for-30 from the field over the first 20 minutes.
• But Fordham opened the second half hot, using a 13-2 run to trim the VCU lead to four, 39-35, on a Jacobs three, three minutes into the half.
• A VCU three bumped its lead back to seven, 42-35, before Fordham responded with an 8-1 spurt to make it a two-point game, 43-41, following another Jacobs three with 15:28 left in the game.
• Fordham trailed by three, 49-46, following yet another Jacobs trifecta with 13:13 remaining but VCU scored the next eight points to take a 57-46 lead with 11:10 on the clock.
Notes
•
Dejour Reaves, who entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring, has scored in double figures in all 27 game she has appeared in this year.
• The double-double was a career first for
Akira Jacobs.
• Sophomore center
Jack Whitbourn missed his sixth straight game due to injury.
• Fordham recorded 15 assists on 20 made baskets.
• Fordham was outrebounded (43-36) for just the ninth time this year.
• Fordham entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring defense, allowing 64.7 ppg.
• VCU entered the game second in the Atlantic 10 in scoring, averaging 83.4 ppg.
• It was a much different atmosphere in the Siegel Center than last year's game when no fans were allowed into the venue due to a water issue in the city.
By the Numbers
8 – Assists by
Dejour Reaves, a career-high (previous high was six which he did six times).
8 – 20-point games this year for
Dejour Reaves.
12 – Offensive rebounds for Fordham, the 20
th time this season the Rams recorded double digit offensive rebounds.
13 – Rebounds for
Akira Jacobs, a career-high (previous high was ten which he did twice).
33 – Career 20-point games for
Dejour Reaves.
What's Next?
• The Rams continue Atlantic 10 play by traveling to Philadelphia, Pa., to take on the La Salle University Explorers on Wednesday, March 4, at 6:30 p.m.
• It will be the 69th meeting between Fordham and La Salle on the hardwood.
• The Explorers lead the all-time series, which started in 1953-54, 44-24, but the Rams have taken seven of the last eight matchups, including the first meeting this year, 64-58, in the Rose Hill Gym on January 28 as
Akira Jacobs scored 13 point and
Dejour Reaves added eleven for the Rams.
• Fordham took last year's meeting, 88-72, on January 29 in Philadelphia as
Romad Dean scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds and
Jackie Johnson III had 12 points and seven assists.
