BRONX, N.Y. – After more than two weeks away from the friendly confines of the Rose Thrill Gym, the Fordham men’s basketball squad enjoyed its second Thanksgiving, feasting on Manhattan College in a 93-61 win in the annual Battle of the Bronx.
 
With the win, Fordham evens its record at 3-3 while Manhattan also goes to 3-3 on the year.
 
Senior guard Japhet Medor was named the Johnny Bach MVP of the game after scoring a game-high 16 points, shooting 4-for-7 from behind the arc, and adding six assists, three steals, and two blocks. Sophomore forward Elijah Gray added 15 points and seven rebound for the Rams while sophomore forward Joshua Rivera and senior guard Kyle Rose each netted 14 with Rose adding seven rebounds and four steals.
 
The two teams traded baskets for the first ten minutes until the Rams closed out the first half with a 12-6 run to take a 47-36 halftime lead.
 
Fordham opened the second half outscoring the Jaspers 20-7 over the first five minutes to take a 67-43 lead on a Rose corner three with 15:23 left in the contest.
 
The Rams led by at least 20 the rest of the way, taking their biggest lead of the night at 93-56 on a Jahmere Tripp jumper with 2:52 remaining.
 
Takeaways
• Fordham senior forward Abdou Tsimbila, who finished with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds, saw a familiar face on the Manhattan bench in redshirt junior Briggs McClain. McLain’s family was Tsimbila’s host family in West Virginia when he first came to the U.S. six years ago.
 
• Tsimbila blocked one shot tonight and has blocked at least one shot in all five games he has appeared in this season.
 
• Kyle Rose set season-high in scoring (14) and rebounding (7).
 
• Fordham shot 80.0% (16-20) from the free throw stripe.
 
• The 93 points scored by the Rams are the most for either team in a Battle of the Bronx game since 1987 when Fordham scored 96.
 
• Manhattan shot 53.3% (16-30) from the field in the first half but the Rams limited the Jaspers to 31.0% (9-29) in the second.
 
• Fordham held Manhattan to just seven offensive rebounds and two second chance points.
 
• The Rams were without the services of sophomore guard Will Richardson and redshirt freshman Angel Montas due to injuries.
 
By the Numbers
6 – Blocks by the Rams, led by two from Japhet Medor.
 
12 – Offensive rebounds for the Rams, the fifth time this year that they have recorded double figures in offensive rebounds.
 
16 – Steals recorded by Fordham, a season-high.
 
20 – Turnovers forced by the Rams, the third straight game and fourth overall this year that a Fordham opponent had 20 turnovers.
 
23 – Points off turnovers for Fordham, compared to nine for the Jaspers.
 
+24 – The +/- total for Japhet Medor.
 
32 – Fordham’s margin of victory, the largest for the Rams against the Jaspers since a 36-point win in 1986 (93-57).
 
44 – Point in the paint for the Rams.
 
47 – First half points for the Rams, a season-high.
 
158 – Career steals for Kyle Rose, tenth all-time at Fordham.
 
686 – All-time wins in the Rose Hill Gym for the Rams.
 
1,581 – All-time wins for Fordham.
 
What’s Next?
• The Rams continue the 2023-24 season by hosting the FDU Knights in the historic Rose Hill Gym on Thursday, November 30, at 7:00 p.m.
 
• It will be the fourth meeting between the Rams and the Knight on the hardwood.
 
• The Rams have taken the first three meetings, including a 53-50 win in the Rose Hill Gym on November 13, 2019, in the most recent meeting between the two schools.
 
• Fordham is 69-27 all-time against schools currently in the Northeast Conference, including a win against Wagner in this year’s season-opener.
 
• It is the second of three games this year against an NEC school (Central Connecticut).