By: by Scott Lipsky
Box Score Notes Photo Gallery
BRONX, N.Y. – Markeith Cummings scored 22 points to lead all scorers on Wednesday evening, but it wasn’t enough to take down the Fordham Rams, who defeated the Black and Gold, 80-63, at the Rose Hill Gymnasium.
The Owls (2-9, 0-7 away) battled in the first half, starting out the game on an 8-0 run and trailing by six points with 45 seconds remaining before intermission before Fordham’s (6-4, 5-3 home) Branden Frazier, who finished with 18 points, picked up a loose ball and scooped it in for the Rams to give them a 42-34 lead on 63.0 percent shooting (17-27).
Head coach Tom Pecora’s squad would begin to pull away as soon as the teams came out for the second half, going on a 10-2 run over the first 2:44 of the final period, including five points from Chris Gaston, who had 20 points and 11 rebounds on the evening to lead the Rams in both categories. It was Gaston’s layup and ensuing free throw with 17:16 to play, his third three-point play of the evening, that made it a 52-36 game and began to put the game out of reach.
“We came out and established ourselves early, hit some good shots, and then they came back and took the lead, and I thought we kept our composure for the most part in the first half,” Owls head coach Tony Ingle said. “That last play in the first half really hurt us, we had the chance to be down just three going into the locker room and instead we were down by eight. Overall, our defense just wasn’t very good tonight. We have to give Fordham credit, because they’re a good team and really showed that throughout the game.”
Ingle went with a different starting lineup than what fans have become accustomed to thus far this season. For nine out of the first 10 games, the Owls walked out onto the court with a starting five of Cummings, Spencer Dixon, LaDaris Green, Aaron Anderson and Andrew Osemhen. In Anderson’s and Osemhen’s place on Wednesday evening were seniors Matt Heramb and Kelvin McConnell.
“I decided to go with Kelvin and Matt tonight to put some more veteran experience in our lineup and change some things up,” Ingle said.
The adjustment appeared to be working at first, with the Owls coming out firing from the opening tip. Heramb was able to feed Cummings for a quick bucket to start the game. The Black and Gold then began to spread the Rams’ defense, with Green nailing a three from the right elbow before Heramb followed with a rainbow from the left side 30 seconds later to make it an 8-0 game just over two minutes into the game.
Fordham would go on an 8-0 run to tie the game, but the Owls were resilient in the early-going, using three-pointers by Dixon and McConnell and another jump shot by Cummings to claw back in front.
McConnell’s three was his first of three on the evening, and may have been the nicest looking shot of the game on either side, as he spun around to allude a defender after receiving the ball and drilled his shot from the left corner to give the Owls a 16-10 advantage. He finished with nine points on the evening.
Fordham finally took the lead on a Raynor Moquete three with 10:57 remaining, putting the Rams out in front for the rest of the game.
The Owls have now dropped nine straight games, and will hope to get back into the winning column on Tuesday, Dec. 28, when they travel west to take on the Wyoming Cowboys. Tip-off in Laramie, Wyo., is scheduled for 7:00 MST.
