Win needed tonight v. Fordham

[Bay Area Billiken]

Our son is a freshman at Fordham and lives in the dorm a short walk from Rose Hill Gym. His parents are both SLU grads.

Although there doesn't seem to be a lot of interest in this game on this board, I've had this game targeted since the schedule was released. If it was a weekend game, I would have tried to be there in person. For "familial' reasons, among many others, SLU needs to win this game.

I watched Fordham warm up before practice at Rose Hill Gym when I was in The Bronx in early November. Fordham has a Senior laden team (5 Seniors) that was picked 4th in the A-10 this year, but has largely underachieved. But Fordham has won the last 2 games, at UMass and at home Sunday over Charlotte. I have watched several Fordham games on TV, including Sunday's 2 point home win over Charlotte.

Fordham has very good Senior Center in 6'8" Bryant Dunston, nephew of former Cardinal Shawon Dunston. Bryant Dunston is a load in the paint and on the boards. This is a game in which SLU really needs the Bryce Husak of the home GW game to come to play. Dunston is averaging 14.9 ppg and 9.8 rebounds per game. The other player to watch is Marcus Stout, 6'4' Senior guard, who is averaging 15.1 ppg. 6'2 soph guard Brenton Butler (11.2 ppg) hurt SLU with 3's last year. And Fordham fans say the team plays better when 6'9" senior forward Sebastian Greene aka Seabass (8.6 ppg) plays well.

Fordham is coached by Dereck Whittenburg, the former NC State guard who launched the famous air ball that was converted into an NCAA Tournament winning dunk by Lorenzo Charles against Phi Slamma Jamma and Houston.

Reading the posts on Fordham's board, the Ram backers aren't giving SLU much respect and are predicting a Fordham road win. Yes, Fordham won in The Bronx in last year's game, but Kevin Lisch was injured and didn't play in that game.

In sum, a SLU win tonight would be most appreciated by this poster.

[Box and Won]

We definitely need a win tonight. Not only was Lisch injured in last year's game, this year's Fordham team does not appear to be as good as last year's, and we're at home. I like our chances, but like you said, we need to contain Dunston, and that 6'9 forward concerns me.

I'm hoping that we can pick up wins in our remaining home games and at least one on the road. Didn't we win at St. Joe's the last time we played there? I'm pretty sure we won our last game at Charlotte and at the home court of that fine manufacturer of gas grills, Duquesne.

[billiken_roy]

just from remembering previous dunston games, i would think that eberhardt and knollmeyer will be the better matchup in the post.

it will definitely be interesting to see how we play him.

stout will i assume be guarded by lisch. so that should be fun to watch. it will be interesting to see if greene has another great game against us. he always seems to step up against us as compared to his overall stats. that said, he is a bad matchup at 6'8" and 200 lbs.

imo fordham has been the most disappointing team in the conference. i thought coming into the season they had so much coming back they would be a conference players. so they are dangerous. hopefully the fordham that played mi$$ouri not the one that just beat umass and charlotte comes tonight.

[Bay Area Billiken]

We definitely need a win tonight. Not only was Lisch injured in last year's game, this year's Fordham team does not appear to be as good as last year's, and we're at home. I like our chances, but like you said, we need to contain Dunston, and that 6'9 forward concerns me.

I'm hoping that we can pick up wins in our remaining home games and at least one on the road. Didn't we win at St. Joe's the last time we played there? I'm pretty sure we won our last game at Charlotte and at the home court of that fine manufacturer of gas grills, Duquesne.

The 6'9 forward, Sebastian Greene, plays the 4, but can handle the ball. He has been inconsistent like the Fordham team.

Also, Fordham's other guard, 6'3" Kevin Anderson, very seldom shoots from the outside, and teams have not been guarding him away from the basket in the half court, just like Dwayne Polk at SLU.

SLU also had problems last year with 6'5", 217 lb. fwd. Chris Bethel, who played the game of his career against SLU last year when Dunston was in foul trouble. We don't need any Bethel repeat. He hasn't even played much this year.

[Bay Area Billiken]

just from remembering previous dunston games, i would think that eberhardt and knollmeyer will be the better matchup in the post.

it will definitely be interesting to see how we play him.

stout will i assume be guarded by lisch. so that should be fun to watch. it will be interesting to see if greene has another great game against us. he always seems to step up against us as compared to his overall stats. that said, he is a bad matchup at 6'8" and 200 lbs.

imo fordham has been the most disappointing team in the conference. i thought coming into the season they had so much coming back they would be a conference players. so they are dangerous. hopefully the fordham that played mi$$ouri not the one that just beat umass and charlotte comes tonight.

Although Fordham lists Dunston as a forward, IMO he is really a true Center, a 5. When I've watched Fordham on TV, he controls the boards. When Fordham has played poorly, it has often been the result of turnovers, some of them unforced, and missed outside shots.

But for a 12th Place team (4-6), this Fordham team is dangerous.