BRONX, N.Y. – FDU (3-6, 0-0) will try to snap a two-game skid in the Bronx on Wednesday night against Fordham (4-5, 0-0). Catch all the action from Rose Hill Gym on SNY & ESPN+ beginning at 7 p.m.
 
Dating back to their first matchup in 2015, the Rams are 4-0 all-time against FDU. All four contests have been played in the Bronx. The average margin of victory for Fordham in these games is 16.7, including an 80-52 win on 11/30/23. This is the second time in this series that the programs are meeting in consecutive seasons.  
 
Fordham recently stopped a three-game losing streak when they handled New Hampshire at home on Sunday, 83-61. This marked their most decisive Division I win of the season. While the Rams are 3-1 at home, they did earn an impressive 57-56 road win over Seton Hall in early November (11/9). They followed that up with a 15-point victory over Binghamton. Fordham's losses have come to St. John's, Manhattan, Drexel, Penn State and San Francisco.
 
Senior Jackie Johnson III has been Fordham's go-to-scorer all season long. The guard is averaging 18 points per game on 47.2% shooting. He is beginning to heat up from beyond the arc as he has knocked down 6-14 from deep over his last two games. Johnson spent the last two seasons at UNLV appearing in 59 games for the Runnin' Rebels. He has seen a significant uptick in his basketball responsibilities since moving to the East Coast, currently playing 12 more minutes per game than last season.
 
Fordham has experienced two seasons of success under Keith Urgo. The Fairfield graduate amassed 38 wins in his first two years at the helm. When Urgo took over in 2022, he led the Rams to a 25-8 record and won A10 Coach of the Year. Despite not having as impressive as a record, the Rams still managed to pick up an A10 tournament win last season over Davidson.
 
The Knights are looking to bounce back from a 78-74 loss at Fairfield on Sunday. It was the second-straight loss for FDU in a game in which they held a double-digit lead. Fairfield was able to earn the extra possessions needed to secure the win via forced turnovers and offensive rebounds. In total, the Stags cashed in 33 points when combining points off turnovers and second chance opportunities. In comparison, FDU only picked up 13 points in those departments.
 
Offensively, Jo'el Emanuel provided a bright spot for the Knights. The junior matched season-highs in both points (16) and made threes (3). This performance brought his scoring average up to 11.4 points per game, which is third on the team. The preseason All-NEC selection will be a key player to watch for the Knights moving forward.
 
While the Knights would have liked to shoot it just a little better against Fairfield, the offense did put together a day where all five starters reached double-digits. FDU is averaging 72.1 points per game against Division I opponents this year.  This is a key number against Fordham as they average and allow just over 72 points per game.
 
After this one, FDU will take on Lehman at home this Saturday, December 7. Catch the action on NEC Front Row beginning at 1 p.m.