The Fordham men’s basketball team defeated the St. Francis College (SFC) Brooklyn Terriers 68-46 on Dec. 1. A layup from Antonio Daye Jr., Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’23, in the first minute gave the Rams a lead that they would not relinquish for the rest of the game. 

St. Francis entered the game winless with an 0-6 record. Coach Kyle Neptune emphasized, however, that the Terriers were not to be taken lightly.

“They played a really great game against St. John’s … they were up by 10 points in the second half,” Neptune commented, mentioning the Rams’ upcoming opponent on Dec. 5. “We knew what they were capable of coming into this game.” 

Nevertheless, Fordham was able to subdue the Terriers on both ends of the court throughout the contest. The Rams employed a swarming defense that befuddled St. Francis. The Terriers scored just 23 points in the first half while shooting 9-of-33 (27.3%) from the field. 

Offensively, the Rams got off to a slow start. But efforts from Daye and Chuba Ohams, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) ’22, spurred the Fordham offense and gave them an early lead. The two combined to score 20 of the team’s first 25 points and the Rams held a 25-15 lead with 6:56 remaining in the first half.

The offense seemed to run through Ohams for much of the game as he continued to find success in the post. The Terriers did not have an answer for Ohams’ elite rebounding or aggressive rim-attacking play.

“There were just a lot of opportunities that they saw where they were unselfish and gave him the ball.” Head Coach Kyle Neptune

“(Ohams) got off to a quick start, so we just kept going back to him,” Neptune elaborated. “The guys were looking for him … there were just a lot of opportunities that they saw where they were unselfish and gave him the ball.” 

A high-flying alley-oop late in the first half from Antrell Charlton, FCRH ’24, to Ohams gave Fordham a 30-17 lead. Ohams finished the game with 20 points and 22 rebounds, both career highs for the forward. He also made an impact on the defensive end, finishing with three blocks and numerous contested shots.

At the half, Fordham possessed a comfortable 34-23 lead. In the second half, the Rams further separated themselves from the Terriers. St. Francis got off to a hot start, nailing two threes and going on a 6-1 run to start the half. But the Fordham offense got back on track.

A layup by Daye halted St. Francis’ run and brought his point total up to 14. The pace of the game then slowed and the Terriers were able to keep the lead within 10 points for large stretches of the second half. 

With 5:44 remaining in the game, Daye and Ohams shut the door on a St. Francis comeback. Daye converted a layup for his 20th point to extend the Fordham lead to 12 before another alley-oop from Charlton to Ohams ignited the crowd and gave the Rams a 56-42 lead. 

From that point on Fordham slowed the pace of the game, seemingly in control of the outcome. By the time the final buzzer sounded, the final score read 68-46. Daye finished with 22 points to lead the Rams in scoring. The box score also underlined the defensive pressure that Fordham applied to the Terriers. Five Rams recorded at least one steal and Daye and Charlton showcased crafty thievery, notching three steals each.

Fordham now holds a three-game winning streak.

Fordham’s defense held St. Francis to 17-of-63 (27.0%) from the field, an impressive feat even against a winless squad. Despite the resounding victory, there is still room for improvement. 

Darius Quisenberry, GSAS ’22, had led the Rams in scoring entering their matchup with the Terriers. He was unusually quiet this game, shooting 1-for-13 (7.6%) from the field and finishing with just four points. This is unlikely to become a trend though, as Quisenberry is still averaging 17.1 points this year. The Rams also shot just 12-for-22 (54.5%) from the free throw line.

Nevertheless, Fordham now holds a three-game winning streak and brings a 5-3 record into its upcoming nationally broadcast matchup against the St. John’s University Red Storm. The Rams will look to build on their recent success in the Dec. 5 contest.