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March 1, 2012

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Kingston, R.I. - The two teams were fairly even entering tonight's Atlantic 10 matchup in the Ryan Center. Both squads entered the game with 3-11 conference records, both teams were coming off big wins on their home courts and both share the same nickname. But what set the two teams apart tonight was offense, as the University of Rhode Island was able to put the ball in the basket and Fordham University wasn't as Rhode Island upended Fordham, 78-58.

With the loss, Fordham falls to 10-18 overall, 3-12 in the Atlantic 10, while Rhode Island improves to 7-23 overall, 4-11 in the conference. The loss also eliminates Fordham from contention for the 2012 Atlantic 10 Championship.

The pace of the game was fast as Fordham attempted a season-high 79 field goals tonight but the Bronx Rams may be asking the Atlantic 10 to check the rims at the Ryan Center as Fordham could not seem to get the ball through them, making only 25 of the 79 shots, including shooting 4-for-23 from long distance.

The only consistency with the Fordham basketball program this year seems to be their inconsistency. After a rousing come-from-behind victory over La Salle last Saturday, Fordham was looking to make it two in a row tonight but a slow start and the cold night shooting doomed the Rams.

Both team actually got off to a cold start but Rhode Island opened the night's scoring two minutes into the game. Fordham missed its first six shot before a Devon McMillan jumper got Fordham on the board 3:35 into the game, cutting the Rhode Island lead to 6-2.

The McMillan basket would be the only points for Fordham until a Chris Gaston free throw five minutes later that made it a 16-3 game in favor of the home team.

Bryan Smith followed the Gaston free throw with a three-pointer for Fordham as the Rams cut the Rhode Island advantage to ten, 16-6, with 10:44 left in the half and Fordham would cut the Rhode Island lead to ten again later in the half, 29-19, on a Kervin Bristol layup with 4:35 remaining. But Rhode Island closed out the period with a 6-2 spurt to take a 35-21 lead into the break.

Rhode Island came out hot in the second half, extending the lead to 21, 46-25, over the first three minutes of the half but Fordham started whittling away at the Rhode Island advantage, using a 15-5 run to make it an eleven-point game, 51-40, on a Smith three with 11:37 left. Frazier led the Fordham run with six points.

Devon McMillan

Fordham trailed by 12, 57-45, three minutes later but Rhode Island then outscored Fordham 15-6 to build a commanding 72-51 lead with 4:41 remaining and put the game away.

Frazier led Fordham with 20 points and four assists while McMillan finished with ten points and five rebounds. Gaston chipped in with nine points, six rebounds and four blocks while Bristol added eight points, nine rebounds and five blocks.

The Rams will close out the 2011-12 season on Saturday afternoon, March 3rd, as they host the Temple University Owls for an Atlantic 10 game in the Rose Hill Gym at 4:00 PM. The game will be Senior Day for three Rams: Kervin Bristol, Alberto Estwick and Ryan Hage.

Notes
The 20-point game was Frazier's fourth of the year and the fifth of his career... Gaston's nine points brings his career total to 1,410, good for eleventh place on the Fordham all-time scoring list... He is 25 points behind Fred Herzog (1987-92) for tenth place... Gaston's six rebounds bring his career total to 902, placing him sixth on the Fordham all-time rebounding list... He is 15 behind John Stevens (1962-65) for fifth place... Bristol's nine rebounds bring his average to 9.7 rpg over the past nine games... His five blocked shot in the game bring his team-leading season total to 69, the seventh best single season total in school history, and his career total to 122, good for fourth on the Fordham career list... The Rams blocked ten shots for the second straight game and recorded at least ten blocks for the sixth time this year... The 160 blocks by Fordham on the year ties the 2011-12 team with the 1990-91 squad for the second most by a Fordham team in school history (the school record is 195 by the 1989-90 team)... The previous season-high for field goal attempts by Fordham was 72, set at Monmouth in December and matched at Duquesne earlier this month... Rhode Island outrebounded Fordham 58-40... The 58 rebounds are the most for a Fordham opponent this year... Fordham committed just six turnovers in the game... The Rams are now 3-2 all-time when playing on Leap Year Day (February 29th)... Rhode Island now leads the all-time series, 34-23... Former Fordham head coach Tom Penders was at the game... Penders coached both Rams, leading Fordham from 1978-86 and Rhode Island from 1986-88.