Bronx, N.Y. – Even though Groundhog Day was yesterday, every time the Fordham men's basketball team takes on VCU it feels as if they are Phil Connors in the Bill Murray movie about Groundhog Day. The film tells the story of a cynical television weatherman covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, who becomes trapped in a time loop, forcing him to relive February 2 repeated. For Fordham the repeat is that it seems just about every time it faces VCU, the result is the same. Tonight, despite a ferocious second half comeback attempt, Fordham fell to VCU, 63-59, in an Atlantic 10 game in the Rose Hill Gym.
With the loss, Fordham falls to 12-11 overall, 3-8 in the Atlantic 10, while VCU improves to 17-6 overall, 8-2 in the conference.
Grad student guard
Dejour Reaves led the Rams with a game-high 21 points and he added four rebounds, four assists, and four steals, while junior forward
Rikus Schulte added eleven points and six rebounds for the home Rams.
How it Happened
• Fordham was cold in the first half, trailing by 13 at the break, 35-22.
• VCU widened its lead with a three-pointer 30 seconds into the second half, 47-31 before Fordham went on a 6-0 run, finished off by
Roor Akhuar's three, to shrink the deficit to 47-37 with 11:32 to go in the contest.
• Fordham trailed by eleven, 52-41, a little over two minutes later when another Akhuar three started an 8-2 Fordham run, capped by an
Akira Jacobs three-pointer as Fordham made it a five-point game, 54-49, with 6:09 on the clock.
• Fordham trailed by five three more times over the next four minutes and pulled within two, 61-59, on a pair of Reaves free throws with 33 seconds left but that was as close as Fordham would get.
Notes
•
Dejour Reaves has scored in double figures in all 22 games he has appeared in this year.
• Reaves entered the game leading the Atlantic 10 in scoring (17.4 ppg).
• Sophomore center
Jack Whitbourn sat out the second half with an injury.
• Fordham shot 42.9% (12-28) in the second half after shooting 29.4% (10-34) in the first half.
• Conversely, VCU shot 36.8% (7-19) over the final 20 minutes after shooting 52.0 (13-25) over the first 20 minutes.
• VCU attempted 28 free throws to just 145 for Fordham (though VCU's Michael Belle missed two free throws in the second half, winning a free Chick-fil-A® sandwich for all in attendance).
• Fordham was outrebounded 38-30, only the sixth time this year the Rams were outrebounded in a game.
• The home Rams wore special Black History Month warmup shirts to kickoff Black History Month.
• As part of Black History Month, "Lift Every Voice and Sing" will be sung before each home game this month prior to the National Anthem.
By the Numbers
4 – Steals for
Dejour Reaves, matching his season-high.
5 – 20-point games for
Dejour Reaves this season.
8 – Assists for
Christian Henry, one shy of his career-high.
13 – Offensive rebounds for Fordham, the third straight and 18th overall game Fordham has recorded double figures in offensive rebounds.
15 – VCU turnovers forced by Fordham which the Rams turned into 14 points.
30 – Career 20-point games for
Dejour Reaves.
34 – Points in the paint for Fordham (to 28 for VCU).
What's Next?
• The Rams continue Atlantic 10 play by hosting the St. Bonaventure Bonnies in the historic Rose Hill Gym on Saturday, February 7, at 2:00 p.m.
• It will be the 54th meeting between Fordham and St. Bonaventure on the hardwood.
• The Bonnies lead the all-time series, which started in the 1955-56 season, 34-19 (two St. Bonaventure wins in 2002-03 were later forfeited for use of an ineligible player).
• Fordham took this year's first meeting on Jan. 10 at St. Bonaventure, 81-77, behind a career-high 31 points from
Dejour Reaves and 14 points and eleven rebounds from
Jack Whitbourn.
