The Fordham men’s basketball team defeated the George Mason University (GMU) Patriots on Thursday, March 10, in the second round of the Atlantic 10 (A10) Tournament, 54-49. As the eighth-seeded team in the tournament, the Rams will play the first-seeded Davidson University Wildcats today at noon. It will be the team’s first appearance in the A10 quarterfinals since 2007.

Even if Fordham had fallen to George Mason, the team’s season still would have been considered a massive success in comparison to previous years. Between 2018 and 2021, the Rams entered four straight postseasons dead last in the conference. In Head Coach Kyle Neptune’s first year, their eighth-place finish in the 2022 regular season was their best result since 2016.

But in the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Fordham proved that there was an opportunity to take an even bigger step forward. Against the ninth-seeded Patriots, a team they played and defeated on Feb. 20 during the regular season, the Rams managed to kickstart a postseason run unseen at Rose Hill for more than a decade.

The Rams and Patriots continued to exchange hard-fought baskets without gaining a lasting advantage.

In the early stages of the first half, it became immediately clear that the contest was shaping up to be a defensive battle. Both teams attempted multiple 3-pointers in the first five minutes but none fell, leading to a paltry 2-2 score. With 11:33 left, Antrell Charlton, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’24, broke through from beyond the arc, and Patrick Kelly, FCRH ’25, followed up three minutes later with another three to give Fordham an 11-8 lead. 

But just as the Rams began to build momentum, George Mason struck back, going on a 9-2 run to pull ahead 17-13. The remainder of the half went along similar lines, as the Rams and Patriots continued to exchange hard-fought baskets without gaining a lasting advantage.

With one second remaining, George Mason guard Xavier Johnson, GMU ’23, put the Patriots ahead by three points, 22-19, at halftime. The second half picked up where the first ended, as the Rams allowed eight unanswered points and fell behind by 11. 

Following a timeout call by Neptune with 15:22 remaining, Kelly finally ended the Rams’ scoring drought with a 3-pointer, but the damage had been done. Soon after, the team again trailed by 11 points, 35-24, with 12:23 left. 

With the season on the line, Fordham’s offense finally kicked into gear after a 3-pointer by Josh Colon-Navarro, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) ’22. Thirty 30 seconds later, Kelly hit another three, catapulting the Rams right back into the game. 

The two scores were the beginning of a 14-2 Fordham run. First-year guard Zach Riley, FCRH ’25, was integral to the Rams’ scoring spree and put up six straight points on a layup and four free throws to tie the game at 37. A jumper by Chuba Ohams, GSAS ’22, gave the team its first lead since the first half with 7:34 remaining.

Based on their performance against the Patriots, the Rams may have a stiff challenge ahead when they play Davidson in the quarterfinals.

The game was far from over when Fordham clawed its way back into contention, and George Mason responded to retake the lead four times thereafter. But with the score close, the contest came down to work in the paint, at which point Ohams seemed to take over. Fordham’s big man and top scorer this season scored six points in the final two minutes to snuff out the Patriots in a 54-49 victory.

Though Ohams led the team with 20 points and 16 rebounds, Charlton, Kelly and Riley combined for 26 points off the bench and made the difference in the back-and-forth contest.

Based on their performance against the Patriots, the Rams may have a stiff challenge ahead when they play Davidson in the quarterfinals. Though Fordham nearly toppled the powerhouse in a 69-66 defeat on Jan. 22, the team’s most recent 66-45 loss to the Wildcats on Feb. 26 was not as inspiring. 

As the Rams enter their most important game in 15 years, the obstacles are clear. But the team will be at full strength, and Ohams seems to be in peak condition. It’s March.

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