Fordham ends regular season with bang, clinches No. 8 seed in A-10 tourney

Led by Dejour Reaves and Atlantic 10’s best defense, Fordham is surging entering conference tournament in year one under Mike Magpayo. (Photo by Fordham University Athletics)

By Pete Janny (@pete_janny)

NEW YORK — On a day where Fordham honored its four seniors, the Rams devoured the opposing Rams of the University of Rhode Island with a final score of 61-49. Contrary to what first-year head coach Mike Magpayo thought entering the year, the Fordham defense was once again the ultimate strength on Saturday, limiting URI to 21 second-half points and forcing 16 turnovers.

“We stuck to our process and did a lot of fundamental defense,” said Magpayo, one game removed from his team giving up a season-high 87 points to La Salle. “It was great to see the offense blow up (versus La Salle), but who we are has to begin and end with defense and rebounding.”

Early on, it looked like Fordham would be unsuccessful in spoiling Jahmere Tripp’s return game to Rose Hill, after two up-and-down seasons in a Fordham uniform. Now wearing a different uniform, Tripp dazzled the Rose Hill crowd with 14 of his team’s first 23 points, while Fordham struggled to convert offensively. 

URI led, 23-13, by the 6:31 mark of the first half, but suddenly a switch flipped. Fordham started to find success with its zone, confusing URI and slowing the visiting Rams’ decision making. Being able to establish a defensive identity meant the bigs doing a better job of closing gaps in the lane and finding crisper rotation patterns within the zone. And even when trailing, Fordham managed to stay tough on the defensive boards, which saved them from having to exert more energy. 

A 10-0 Fordham run tied the game at 23, and the home team ultimately closed on a 12-5 run to trail only 28-25 at halftime. In addition to their defensive momentum, Magpayo credits the offensive post touches for carving out room for shooters, which made URI pay. Consequently, the three-point fest was on, and Fordham got back-to-back conversions from Christian Henry and Louis Lesmond to help expedite their comeback. 

The urgency and pride of both Rikus Schulte and his backup, Abass Bodija, were vital for Fordham. The proceedings ended with Schulte’s ninth double-double of the season, with 14 points and 13 rebounds. The 6-foot-9 native of Germany has a great feel for the game down low in frontcourt sets and could also be a rim runner at times, making him a versatile piece for these new-look Rams. Schulte came away with a steal and fastbreak dunk as part of an 8-0 Fordham run that established a 47-40 lead with 7:53 left. 

“We started to get more disruptive and started to punch back,” Magpayo said of his team’s grand awakening. “Rikus’ steal and dunk turned it.” 

With the temperature rising in Rose Hill and a seemingly helpless Archie Miller looking on, Fordham closed the game late with several free throws. In the end, URI’s faltering had plenty to do with its three-point struggles — 2-for-14 in the second half — and getting outrebounded by Fordham, 40-26.

Dejour Reaves continued his season-long streak of consecutive double-digit scoring performances with 17, but it felt like the Fordham bigs were mostly responsible for draining URI, who expended a lot in the first half to gain an early advantage. Talking about the growth of Schulte, his UC Riverside-turned-Fordham player, brings a smile to Magpayo’s face.

“In the non-conference, we were tickled to see the improvement (of Schulte) but we didn’t know about the A-10 yet,” he said. “He had a big game early on in the non-conference, and we kept telling him how good he can be. The bottom line is he’s become a great A-10 player and Fordham Ram.”

Then, there’s the rapport between Magpayo and Reaves, which was something both saw as a possibility from the moment his Fordham courting began. Not only has Reaves led the A-10 in scoring with 17.7 points per game, but he has improved drastically as a facilitator and, most importantly, has begun the process of restoring faith from the fan base beyond his remaining days at Rose Hill. 

“I take a lot of pride in being in the A-10 and I know it is going to be tougher than where I was in past years, “ Reaves said postgame. “The first time I spoke with Coach Mike (Magpayo), he told me he wanted me to be their point guard and do a lot for the team, more than just scoring. I’ve had great coaches who have helped me.”

Fordham will enter the A-10 tournament on a winning note after completing the season sweep of URI. As for Miller’s outfit, Rhode Island had previously experienced the ultimate high of beating Saint Louis at home last month, and the lowest of lows by losing to Loyola Chicago to begin conference play. Magpayo dealt URI another curveball on Saturday by opting for a zone defense, which wasn’t prevalent during the 70-66 overtime win in Kingston earlier this season. 

According to Magpayo, Fordham’s confidence with the zone blossomed out of desperation when only seven scholarship players were healthy to suit up for an 82-53 victory over archrival Manhattan back in December. Once Fordham had begun embracing its defensive chops, there was little doubt that the Rams would be okay in the eyes of their head coach. The Rams led the A-10 in scoring defense at 65.5 points per game, a stellar accomplishment in year one with a new coach. 

“The win over George Washington also cemented that when we play ball we can hang with most everybody in the league,” Magpayo said, evoking a full circle moment ahead of the 8/9 second-round matchup with the Revolutionaries on Thursday in Pittsburgh. “We still have to prove it against the VCUs and Saint Louises, and have a lot to do over the next four days to get ready.”