The Fordham men’s basketball (MBB) team defeated the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) Retrievers 86-72 in a hard-fought exhibition game on Oct. 27. The showcase revealed the Rams’ offensive firepower and potential for the upcoming season.
The Rams — the 12th seed in the Atlantic 10 Conference last year — were eager to claim a hard-earned victory against the Retrievers — the seventh seed in the America East Conference last year.
This game was the second exhibition game of the season and does not affect either team’s season record. However, both teams came out with intensity, bringing their competitive energy to the court and battling down to the wire.
After the win, Head Coach Keith Urgo said that the exhibition game is important to the team’s in-season progression.
“(Exhibition games are) legitimate real games — the way we play, the way we substituted, the way we defend — we were playing as if these games count,” Urgo said.
The Rams also introduced a talented freshman class, headlined by three-star recruit Jaden Smith, FCRH ’28, one of the highest rated recruits in Fordham MBB history.
Heading into the new season, the Rams welcome back most of their key players from last year. Guards Japhet Medor, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’25; Will Richardson, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’26; Zach Riley, FCRH ’25; and forward Joshua Rivera, FCRH ’26, are among those returning.
There are also promising new additions to the roster that include two transfer players: Matt Zona, GGSB ’25, out of Notre Dame, and guard Jackie Johnson III, FCRH ’25, who played for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Both players add depth and experience to the lineup.
The Rams also introduced a talented freshman class, headlined by three-star recruit Jaden Smith, FCRH ’28, one of the highest rated recruits in Fordham MBB history.
The starting lineup included Medor, Zona, Richardson, Johnson and Romad Dean, FCRH ’26.
Following their first few baskets, the Rams started to slowly gain momentum. Johnson went on a 4-0 run and followed up with a quick steal and layup to tie the game at 7-7.
The Rams won the tipoff, but struggled to find their rhythm early. While both teams played with high intensity, the Rams were scoreless almost four minutes into the game. Their struggles were compounded by poor rebounding, allowing the Retrievers to score most of their early buckets from offensive rebounds.
According to Urgo, these early lapses emphasized areas that need improvement as the season progresses.
“We were giving up way too many drives in the paint and obviously way too many second-chance points,” Urgo said.
Despite the slow start, the Rams stayed composed. A few possessions after coming out of a timeout, Johnson dribbled the ball up the court and attacked the lane to drain a midrange jumper.
Following their first few baskets, the Rams started to slowly gain momentum. Johnson went on a 4-0 run and followed up with a quick steal and layup to tie the game at 7-7.
Despite the challenge on the boards, Fordham displayed resilience in other areas of the game.
UMBC responded with a strong offensive push. The Retrievers scored two consecutive baskets and Ace Valentine, UMBC ’27, drained a 3-pointer, preventing Fordham from taking the lead.
Nonetheless, halfway into the first half, Johnson attacked the lane aggressively, laying in an impressive, high-arcing layup that gave the Rams their first lead at 20-19.
Fordham began to hit their stride. Richardson and Johnson made back to back buckets totaling 11 points to give Fordham an 8 point lead, the highest thus far with only five minutes remaining in the first half.
The Retrievers countered by exploiting Fordham’s rebounding issues, attacking the paint and drawing fouls. Their focus on inside scoring and free throws allowed UMBC to trim the Rams’ lead to seven at 46-39 at the end of the half.
Despite the challenge on the boards, Fordham displayed resilience in other areas of the game.
The Rams shot an impressive 48% — 12 shots made out of 25 attempted — from the 3-point line while holding the Retrievers to 20% — four shots made out of 20 attempted.
The Rams entered halftime with impressive shooting stats, having higher percentages in field goals made as well as 3-point shooting. However, their struggles on the boards were evident, as they were out-rebounded 18-12, which contributed to a deficit in points in the paint, trailing 24-18 in that category.
Entering the second half, Valentine shot from beyond the arc, making it a 4-point game at 46-42. The Rams responded by going on a 14-6 run, taking a 12 point lead 60-48 with Rivera’s basket in the paint.
The Retrievers, hoping to turn the tide, fought and cut their deficit down to 8 with about six minutes left on the clock. However, the Rams’ offense caught fire, with Rivera, Johnson and Richardson scoring back-to-back, pushing the lead to 15 points — the largest margin of the game.
For much of the remainder of the half, the Rams stayed in control, closing out the game 86-72.
The Rams shot an impressive 48% — 12 shots made out of 25 attempted — from the 3-point line while holding the Retrievers to 20% — four shots made out of 20 attempted.
In a post-game interview, Urgo focused on the team’s defensive strategy: “Taking away the three was a big emphasis for us. The problem was we were a little too aggressive taking away the three — we want to run them off the line — but we were giving them wide open drives down the paint, and as a result, we gave up 17 offensive rebounds.”
The Rams saw struggles in other areas.
But the Rams excelled in other areas, scoring 15 points off turnovers compared to UMBC’s 5 and outscoring the Retrievers in bench points, 25-17.
The most valuable player of the game was Johnson who led the Rams with 23 points on 9-14 shooting, while also getting eight rebounds and three steals.
Other notable players include Richardson who added 13 points, one block, and two steals; Medor who scored 12 points; and Rivera with 12 points, three rebounds, and an assist.
The team has shown a promising combination of talent, depth and determination in their recent performance. Which means that fans can look forward to an exciting season from the Rams.
With key players like Johnson, who led the team in scoring and steals, and Urgo saying the team is constantly improving, Fordham is on track to compete with intensity in every game.
The focus on refining defensive principles and rebounding suggests that the team is working hard to address weaknesses and capitalize on their strengths.
The Rams opened their season on Monday night with a 60-92 loss at St. John’s University and prepare to host Binghamton in their home opener on Nov. 12