URI Falls At Fordham 66-64
Thursday, January 19, 2012
With the way things have gone for the URI Rams thus far this season, you have to wonder if there are many “winnable” games left on their schedule. Wednesday night, Rhode Island had one of those “winnable” games to play against Fordham in the Bronx.
The Rhody Rams got off to a quick start in both the first and second half, but they couldn’t close the deal and lost to the Fordham Rams 66-64.
URI, which has struggled this season offensively, raced out to a 9-2 lead on a Billy Baron three (22 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds) forcing Fordham coach Tom Pecora to call a timeout less than 3 ½ minutes into the game. Four minutes later, after an Orion Outerbridge ( 15 points, 9 rebounds) jumper, Rhody had its largest lead at 19-8, but that’s when the home team battled back.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTA 13-2 run by Fordham which included 7 points from Alberto Estwick ( 18 points, 4-6 from three) tied things up at 21. The host Rams led by two at the break 40-38.
Just over 6 minutes into the second half, Rhody took a 48-43 lead on a 3-pointer by Billy Baron. But, once again, Fordham fought back.
Things went back and forth until freshman Mike Powell ( 7 points, 6 assists) put URI back up by five 62-57 with 4:27 to go. But Estwick brought his Rams right back with a pair of three’s in the final four minutes. His last three put Fordham up 66-64 with :28 seconds to play.
URI’s Jonathan Holton ( 8 points, 18 rebounds) missed a short-range shot with :08 seconds to play but was able to get the ball back on a turnover by Bryan Smith. Baron’s desperation three at the buzzer failed to connect sending Rhody to its fourth straight loss. Rhode Island is now (3-16) overall and (0-4) in the A-10.
With the win, Fordham improved to (8-9) overall and (1-3) in conference play. The Rams are an impressive (7-2) at Rose Hill Gym this season.
Rhode Island will visit LaSalle on Saturday at 4pm.
NOTES:
-After Jonathan Holton’s dunk with 3:24 left, URI failed to score the rest of the way. The Rams went 0 for their next 5 to finish the game.
-Fordham’s win means that URI is now the only team which has yet to win an A-10 game this season.
-Heading into play Wednesday night, URI’s RPI ranking was 272nd out of 344 Division One teams. The Atlantic Ten ranked 7th out of the 32 conferences in D-1, ahead of the Pac-12 which is 9th.
-A quick glance at Rhody’s remaining schedule shows home games against St. Bonaventure (1/25) and Fordham (2/29) as being the most “winnable” games on their slate.
