Grading A10 Non-Conference Performances: Fordham

The Fordham Rams shocked the Atlantic 10 when they were able to finish 9-2 in the non-conference portion of their schedule. After losing their opening game, the Rams went on to rattle off nine straight victories and ascend the ladder in the conference standings. Though Fordham didn’t have the hardest non-conference schedule by any means, it performed well with what it had. Now entering conference play, the Rams will take on George Washington in D.C. next Sunday. It will be interesting to see just how legit this team will shape out to be.

Good Wins

As most of Fordham’s opponents were below average mid-majors, there weren’t a lot of standout wins in the bunch. That being said, a home win against St. John’s earlier in the season was definitely a victory for the program. Though Chris Mullin’s squad has really struggled this season, the Rams looked good putting the Red Storm in its place with a 73-57 win. Ryan Rhoomes had a great day for Fordham when he scored 26 points.

Fordham’s win over Colgate was definitely one of the Rams’ better performances of the season. They shot 52% from the floor and buried a team that beat fellow conference member George Mason earlier in the season. Obviously another great performance by the Rams came against Coppin St. when they held the Eagles to just 29% shooting from the floor. That being said, Coppin St. is one of the worst teams in basketball.

Bad Losses

The only one you could point to as possibly a bad loss would be the season opener against Texas-Arlington, though that team has come to be the spoiler this season. UTA has climbed out to a 9-2 record and has also managed to beat Ohio State and Memphis on their own floors. The Rams showed promise when they came back in the second half. After being down 13 in the first, they rallied back and managed to lose 72-77. If Fordham could’ve beaten Texas-Arlington, it would now look like a very solid win for the Rams.

The only other loss on the schedule was to Boston College, and the Eagles aren’t very good this season. Any other year, Fordham would be expected to get blown out, but Boston College lost 6 straight earlier this season. They’re not a very good team, and the Rams’ shooting struggles allowed Boston College to take this one 64-55. It wasn’t the best loss for Fordham, but its certainly not a season-changer.

Overall Grade

Fordham: A-

It’s hard to deny that the Rams impressed many by going 9-2 in the non-conference slate of their schedule. While they didn’t really play anyone real difficult, the Rams probably could’ve gone 11-0 with their strength of schedule. Nevertheless, Fordham will get tested in conference play right off the bat as it takes on George Washington, Richmond, and VCU in a two week stretch. That’s where the true colors of Fordham will be shown.