NEW YORK (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and offensive struggles, the Fordham Rams methodically pulled away from the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights for a 75-54 victory in a non-conference men’s basketball game Wednesday night at a sparsely attended Rose Hill Gym.

A crowd of 604 watched as Fordham improved to 7-4, while Fairleigh Dickinson fell to 2-8.

The most important part of the game was Fordham’s decisive 15-5 run to close the first half, which transformed a competitive contest into a comfortable lead the Rams would never relinquish. After Fairleigh Dickinson’s Arthur Cox hit a jump shot to pull the Knights within 22-20 with just over eight minutes remaining in the opening period, Fordham’s defense clamped down and its backcourt took over. Christian Henry and DeJour Reaves fueled the surge, with Henry assisting on a Rikus Schulte dunk and then hitting a three-pointer. After a Knights turnover, Reaves connected on a jump shot. Following another Fairleigh Dickinson miss, Henry found Reaves for a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 32-20. The Knights managed only two more points in the half, a Raysean Johnson layup, before Fordham’s Roor Akhuar buried a three-pointer at the halftime buzzer, assisted by Schulte, to send the Rams into the locker room with a commanding 37-22 advantage.

That sequence encapsulated the evening’s themes: Fordham’s efficient scoring paired with a disruptive defense that consistently generated stops and turnovers. The Rams converted 10 of 23 attempts from three-point range, while the Knights labored, making just 8 of 28. Fordham also dominated the glass with 11 offensive rebounds leading to 13 second-chance points, and their defense tallied eight steals, directly contributing to 19 points off 11 Fairleigh Dickinson turnovers.

Fordham’s backcourt duo led the way. Christian Henry, a junior guard from Chicago, paced all scorers with 17 points and added six assists. DeJour Reaves, a sophomore from Syracuse, contributed 16 points and five assists. Their combined playmaking was pivotal, as Fordham finished with 18 assists on 28 made field goals. The Rams also received strong contributions from their frontcourt, with Rikus Schulte of Munster, Germany, scoring 10 points and grabbing nine rebounds, and Australian forward Roor Akhuar adding 11 points off the bench.

Fairleigh Dickinson, which entered the game with the nation’s lowest offensive rating according to some metrics, confirmed those struggles, posting an offensive rating of 84.0. The Knights shot 36.4% from the field and managed only four assists as a team against 11 turnovers. Arthur Cox, a forward from Fayetteville, Arkansas, was a bright spot with 13 points, five assists and three blocked shots. Taeshaud Jackson of Denver and Eric Parnell of Melbourne, Florida, each added 11 points.

The second half saw Fordham maintain its double-digit lead throughout, extending it to as many as 23 points. The Rams’ lead never dipped below 13 as they answered every modest Knights run with timely scores, often generated by their defense. A key sequence early in the second half saw Fordham force three consecutive turnovers, leading to a DeJour Reaves jumper and an Abass Bodija layup to push the lead to 45-31, effectively snuffing out any lingering hope of a Fairleigh Dickinson comeback.

Fordham’s defense was the story, holding Fairleigh Dickinson to 32 points in the second half despite the Knights taking more shots. The Rams’ ability to contest shots—Fairleigh Dickinson had six shots blocked—and control the defensive glass limited second chances. Fordham’s offensive balance, with four players in double figures and eight different players scoring, proved too much for a Knights team that has now lost eight of its last nine games.

The game was played well below the pregame over/under line of 142, with the total points scored being 129. Fordham covered the pregame spread of -13.5.

Fordham looks to build on the win when it hosts Manhattan on Saturday. Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action next Friday at home against Lehman.