As the country ushered in a new president, Fordham’s trip to Davidson continued to expose the same struggles that have been plaguing them all season. While the Rams got off to one of their better starts this year, it was tough for them to prevent their weaknesses from boiling over. Here’s what went right and what went wrong for Fordham this afternoon.
What Fordham Did Right
After their lowest scoring first half against UMass on Sunday, Fordham’s shooters started off hot, knocking down 5 of their first 8 shots of the game. Fordham’s shot variety was much improved than previous games, as their ball movement gave themselves room to hit shots from deep and mid-range. Chris Austin was performing up to speed, scoring 8 points in the first ten minutes of the game. While Fordham has maintained their solid defense for most of this year, their biggest troubles come when they can’t keep up on the offensive end. In the opening minutes this afternoon, this was simply not the case. While shooting a total of 38.5 % from the field in the first half isn’t much to applaud, the Rams shot 6-for-13 beyond the arc. Chris Austin and Josh Navarro entered halftime with 8 points apiece.
What Went Wrong
While the first ten minutes of the game earned some praise from me for the Rams, the cracks quickly began to show. Down by 8 at halftime, it was clear that Davidson’s size advantage would prove deadly down the stretch. Davidson is a unique team this year, in that some of their taller players including Sam Mennenga and Hyunjung Lee, can also shoot from deep. At several points, Mennenga was being guarded by players like Josh Navarro, 11 inches shorter than him. Once the Wildcats were able to lock down Soriano, it was free reign in terms of shooting anywhere they want on the court. Lee and Mennenga scored 8 points each, while Kellan Grady led both teams in scoring with 28. This height advantage also killed Fordham in the rebounding department, as Davidson outrebounded the Rams 37-25, including 8-4 on the offensive end.
All-in-all, another decent early performance by the Rams is marred by problems that just can’t seem to be fixed. The Rams take on Duquesne for the second time this season next Wednesday at home.
