Wednesday, February 22, 2023 8:00 p.m.
Gentile Arena, Chicago, Ill.


Say what you will about the A-10 having a down year, but in one respect the 2022-23 men’s basketball season has been historic—thanks to Fordham’s great season thus far. At 21-6 entering Wednesday’s game against the Ramblers, first-year Coach Keith Urgo has staked a powerful claim for the A-10 Coach of the Year.

In 1995-96 Fordham joined the A-10. And before they achieved their first 20-win season-- clinching it last week with six games remaining in the regular season-- the Rams had experienced FIFTEEN 20-loss seasons. In fact, on four different occasions Fordham had three 20-loss seasons in a row. Fordham’s last 20-win season overall was in 1990-91, their first year in the Patriot League. The next season, 1991-92, they were 18-13 and earned their last trip to the NCAA Tournament with a 14 seed.

Currently 9-5 in league play, this will be only their 4th season with a .500 or better record in their 28 seasons of A-10 league play, and only their third season above .500 in A-10 play if they can win one of their next four games. They’re currently 137 in KenPom; their best ranking thus far was 127 in 2005-06.

Fordham has a proud and important history in men’s basketball. Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington played on the 1972-73 and 1973-74 Fordham JV teams under then-JV Head Coach P.J. Carlesimo (who took Seton Hall to the 1989 Championship Game). Digger Phelps and Tom Penders also coached at Fordham, and Smush Parker played five years in the NBA. Other noteworthy Fordham alums include Vin Scully, Frankie Frisch, Donald Trump, Alan Alda, and magician David Copperfield.

But back to our game on Wednesday night… Coach Urgo will likely be starting 6’2” senior guard Darius Quisenberry, 6’3” freshman shooting guard Will Richardson, 6’5” junior guard Antrell Charlton, 6’7” senior forward Khalid Moore, and 6’10” center Rostyslav Novitskyi. Quisenberry is the leading scorer (16.9 ppg), and leads the team in minutes, field goal attempts, and free throw attempts (he shoots 84.1% at the stripe). Moore’s name might sound familiar—that’s because he’s a transfer from Georgia Tech (he scored 8 points against the Ramblers in the 2021 NCAA Tournament). Moore leads the team in total rebounds and averages 14.8 ppg. Richardson leads the team in 3pt% at 43.2%, and scored 21 against VCU last time out (6 for 10 on threes). At 6’5”, Charlton is something akin to a point-forward, leading the team in assists (3.7 apg), and hauling in 3.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals on average.

Novitskyi is the starter at center averaging 6.8 points and 4.6 rebounds, but 6’9” junior Abdou Tsimbila actually gets the most minutes down low and averages 5.3 points and 1.8 blocks per game. Six-four junior Kyle Rose averages 7.4 points off the bench, and 6’8” freshman Elijah Gray averages 3.1 points.

Fordham hangs its hat on defense. According to KenPom, they have the third best defensive efficiency in the league after VCU and Dayton. The Rams’ offense ranks 199—about 50 spots above the Ramblers. Fordham takes a lot of shots and has the fifth-worst 2pt shooting percentage and the worst 3pt shooting percentage in the league—where they excel is offensive rebounding, forcing turnovers, and getting to the line and hitting their freebies.

Loyola is coming off Friday’s dismal drubbing delivered by Dayton. The Ramblers actually won the turnover battle in the 65-49 loss to the Flyers, but Loyola had their worst field goal shooting percentage of the year and got clobbered on the glass by a 37-24 margin. The loss dropped the Ramblers to 6-6 at home on the season. Fordham is 5-4 on the road this year.

Fordham was Loyola’s opponent in the first men’s basketball game at the remodeled Gentile Arena (which was also the first home game for Coach Porter Moser) on Nov. 26, 2011; Loyola won 64-50 in the first game the two storied Jesuit schools played against each other. Two years later, Fordham beat the Ramblers 83-69 in the Bronx in Loyola’s first season as a member of the MVC.

This was a game that was considered to be an easy win for the Ramblers on paper at the beginning of the season when Loyola was overestimated and Fordham was underestimated. Fordham has won eight of their last 10 games, with the only two slip-ups at the two venues in Richmond. The Rams don’t play the traditional A-10 style basketball (not particularly tall or long, rely on defense over offense, poor shooting from distance)-- so maybe the Ramblers will make it interesting with a home crowd cheering them on.


Loyola game notes: https://loyolaramblers.com/documents/20 ... ordham.pdf

Fordham game notes: https://fordhamsports.com/news/2023/2/2 ... esday.aspx

TV/Streaming video: NBC Sports Chicago+/ESPN+ out of market https://www.espn.com/watch/

Radio/Streaming audio: https://loyolaramblers.com/watch/?Live=145&type=Live

Live stats: https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=426270

Vegas odds: Fordham by 2

Good opportunity for Alston to bounce back. Over the last 5 games he’s been struggling

37% FG (20/53)
18% 3PT (2/11)
12.6 PPG
4.6 RPG
16 fouls (1 foul out)

Go Ramblers

_________________
MBB Scholarship Chart

Fordham player would not stop practicing dunks as Sister Jean tried to start her prayer, and then gave a "screw you" gesture before getting a high five from a Fordham assistant on the way to the locker room is the chef's kiss of our A-10 experience this far.

Folks watching on tv, was the Golden dunk attempt a foul?

It looked like it on TV. But I cant believe how many times Quise has fouled someone with his face.

100% announcers were shocked there was no foul and followed up with saying the refs need to reign in the physicality before the game gets out of hand.

Very physical, least on tv.

Braden had to come out with a laceration to his neck. Quise already had a plug for a bloody nose before he got the third foul (and conked on the head).

If he doesn’t have a broken nose, he might want to consider boxing after basketball. Because he’s taking some shots to the snout tonight.

Braden went from absolute fire to now not being able to hit wide open 3's the last couple games. That hurts the offense A LOT.

Also, Hutty looked great in the few first half minutes he got. 2nd half? Right back to the bench!