Before we all settle in for a day of family, turkey, and of course football, the Rose Hill Gym will be busy on consecutive nights as the women host the New Jersey Institute of Technology tonight, while the men will be home for the Princeton Tigers tomorrow night. Tonight’s 7:00 women’s game can be heard live on WFUV.org. The men can be heard tomorrow night on 90.7FM.

Check here tomorrow for a preview of the men’s game against Princeton. Fordham SportsNet will be at Rose Hill tomorrow night to cover all the action with a report to follow. Please check in all week as we will have reports on both teams, and then it’s back to Rose Hill Sunday at 1:00 for the men’s contest against James Madison.

Meanwhile, the women will play on the road for the first time this year, taking on UNC-Wilmington on Friday and either South Carolina or Ohio on Saturday as the Rams participate in the Cancun Thanksgiving Classic in Mexico. The women’s team then travels to Georgetown next Wednesday before returning home December 6 to host Wofford.

Big weekend on tap for Fordham football and basketball.

The football team will be in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania for a battle with the Bucknell Bison. The 1:00 kickoff is the final game of the year for the Rams, who enter tomorrow afternoon’s contest with a 4-5 record, 0-4 in the Patriot League.

Meanwhile, at Rose Hill, the women will open up the Saturday basketball action with a 1:00 game against Bucknell. Fresh off their win Wednesday night against Manhattan, the 1-1 Rams take on the Bison, who enter the game with a 2-0 record.

The men will take on the Manhattan Jaspers in a 7:00 contest tomorrow night. At 0-2, the Rams look for their first win against a Manhattan team that has won their first two games of the season.

Here is tomorrow’s schedule on the broadcast home of Fordham sports, 90.7FM WFUV:

1:00 – Football game at Bucknell, WFUV (90.7FM)

1:00 – Women’s game vs Bucknell, WFUV.org

7:00 – Men’s game vs Manhattan, WFUV (90.7FM)

BY CHARLES COSTELLO

A few notes before we turn our attention to tomorrow night’s game in Philadelphia between the Rams and the nationally ranked Villanova Wildcats.

• Friday’s doubleheader at the Rose Hill gym gave fans the opportunity to catch two basketball games for the price of one. More important, though, is what it did for the women’s team as attendance increased significantly, especially during the second half as the men’s crowd filed in. Drawing fans to women’s games has always been a struggle for Fordham, and coming off an 0-29 season, it’s safe to say that people weren’t necessarily lining up for season tickets . Despite the fact that the majority of the crowd, including the student section, arrived at the arena to watch the men, there was a bit more of a buzz in the gym as the women held the lead for much of the game before falling to Princeton, 69-57. It is a shame that more people didn’t get a chance to see the Rams in the first half, when they built an 11-point halftime lead and looked poised to pick up their first win in two seasons. Anyway, attendance wise, the familiar cry of ”Let’s play two” was music to the ears of the women’s team.
• If you are a fan of discipline, accountability, and perspective, then it’s impossible not to root for men’s head coach Dereck Whittenburg. What is most impressive is that Whittenburg is the first to accept responsibility for his team’s performance, while at the same time demanding that his players accept their fair share. Following Friday’s 65-62 loss, the head coach was critical of his team’s play, especially down the stretch when he expressed disappointment in his players’ lack of leadership. Nonetheless, Whittenburg accepted his share of the blame (more for the sake of his players than anything else), and in the process taught his team a very valuable lesson in accountability. “It’s okay. I’ll get better,” Whittenburg said following the loss. At the same time, he challenged his players to get better. “We learned a valuable lesson tonight,” the head coach went on to say. “We’ve got a young team. They’ve got to learn the hard way.” If the role of a college coach is to teach, Whittenburg is the guy I want leading the class.
• The much anticipated debut of Jio Fontan was a rough one for the six-foot freshman point guard from St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, New Jersey. Fontan struggled throughout Friday night’s contest, turning the ball over four times and shooting 1-for-12 from the field and 0-for-7 from the line. Perhaps the most celebrated of the new group of Rams, Fontan’s every move will be closely watched and scrutinized, but his coach was quick to offer support. “He struggled,” Whittenburg said following the loss. “He’s going to be a fine player. It’s the first game of the year but he struggled. He’s a winner. He’s a tough kid. He’ll come back.” His high school coach, Bob Hurley, was in attendance.
• Finally, a few words regarding the Fordham faithful. Though not completely filled to capacity Friday, the student section was vocal, enthusiastic, and energized throughout. From the “Let’s go Fordham” chants drowning out the Columbia fans during a second-half timeout, to holding up newspapers in front of their faces while Columbia attempted free throws, to staying late into the Saturday night to cheer on their Rams, fans were pumped for the start of the new season. With local rival Manhattan coming to Rose Hill this Saturday, expect more of the same.

We’ll see you all tomorrow with a preview of the men’s game at Villanova.