Fordham University is imposing a four-game suspension for Keith Urgo, men’s basketball head coach. The Fordham men’s basketball program is in an ongoing National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) investigation with regard to potential recruitment violations.
Very few details have been issued to the public regarding the NCAA investigation, though the program aims to fully cooperate with the NCAA over the course of its investigation. In a brief statement on Fordham Now, Bob Howe, associate vice president for media and public relations, announced the news.
“Fordham has and will continue lending full cooperation to the NCAA during their investigation, including following the NCAA’s bylaws to maintain confidentiality. Therefore, we’re unable to share any more details on the matter at this time,” Howe wrote.
The suspension will begin on Jan. 22, and current Associate Head Coach Tray Woodall will take over for Urgo as the interim head coach. Urgo will miss the Rams’ next four games of Atlantic 10 (A10) conference play: Loyola University Chicago on Jan. 22, Duquesne University on Jan. 26, La Salle University on Jan. 29 and St. Bonaventure University on Feb. 1.
The suspension was announced the day after the Rams’ loss to the University of Massachusetts Amherst Minutemen (UMass) on Jan. 16. The Rams fell to the Minutemen in the game’s third overtime with a final score of 120-118.
“Fordham has and will continue lending full cooperation to the NCAA during their investigation, including following the NCAA’s bylaws to maintain confidentiality. Therefore, we’re unable to share any more details on the matter at this time” Bob Howe, Associate Vice President for Media and Public Relations
Before the Rams hit the floor with the Minutemen, Fordham University celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the historic Rose Hill Gymnasium, where the Rams beat Boston College 46-16 in the gym’s inaugural game 100 years ago to the date.
Although this year’s Rams could not pull through with the win, they put on an impressive display of grit, as the Rams and Minutemen played for three hours and 40 minutes.
Despite the Rams going into halftime only down eight, the team struggled to capitalize on many of the looks they created in the first half, shooting 25.71% on field goals and 18.75% from the three-point line.
The Rams returned from the locker room with a renewed focus and turned the slow start into a high-scoring night. Many Rams ended the night with scoring highs: Jackie Johnson III, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’25, scored a career-high 36 points; Japhet Medor, Gabelli Graduate School of Business (GGSB) ’25, landed a season-high 25 points; Joshua Rivera, FCRH ’26, and Matt Zona, GGSB ’25, both ended the game in double figures as well.
The Rams fell to the Minutemen in the game’s third overtime with a final score of 120-118.
The “Rose Thrill” came alive in the second half of the game and the student section of the Rose Hill Gymnasium was packed with students supporting the Rams in their back and forth with the Minutemen.
Among the crowd was the “shirtless herd,” five Swim and Dive athletes who sported speedos, swim caps and goggles during the game. The “shirtless herd” in the student section’s first row spelled out “GO RAMS” in white paint on their chests.
Urgo attributed in part to his team’s ability to rally to the support the athletes on the floor received from the Fordham community.
“I want to thank Rose Thrill; that was the most energy we have had here all year long. I think it was the reason we were able to keep fighting and stay in the game and have chances to win,” Urgo said in the postgame press conference. “That energy is fantastic. It is the way it should be, quite frankly, and I think it really helped our guys.”
With the final quarter winding down, it seemed that the Rams would keep the lead and win the game. However, Marquee Worthy, UMass ’27, made a three-pointer with seven seconds left in regulation, sending the Rams and Minutemen into the first overtime of the night.
Again, hope seemed to be lost for the Rams when the Minutemen were up 98-95 with one second left of the first overtime of the night. In a last-ditch half-court heave, Romad Dean, FCRH ’26, was fouled and sent to the free-throw line, where he made all three free throws and forced the second overtime of the night.
As the game dragged on, athletes on both teams fell into foul trouble. By the final whistle of the game, nine players from both teams had fouled out of the game — five of which were Rams.
The foul trouble that both the Minutemen and Rams found themselves in on Wednesday night was highlighted by the 79 combined fouls and 122 combined free throws attempted during the game.
A turnover by the Rams in the third overtime gave the Minutemen the chance to take the lead with ten seconds left in the game, with a final score of 120-118.
In the postgame press conference, Coach Urgo emphasized that the Rams need to be able to close out games as they look to the rest of the season.
“We need to find a way to win a game. It seemed like everytime we had a chance we just made a mistake at the most crucial times, and that’s part of our learning and our growth,” Urgo said.
The Rams continue to hunt for their first win in the A10 conference as they are back on the road for their game against Loyola Chicago on Jan. 22. The Rams’ game in Chicago marks the first game without Urgo and the start to his four-game suspension.
