WASHINGTON (Interstat) — In a game defined by physicality and second-chance opportunities, the Fordham Rams delivered a decisive road upset, defeating the George Washington Revolutionaries 79 to 65 in Atlantic 10 Conference men’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the Charles E. Smith Center.

The Rams, entering as heavy underdogs, flipped the script with a dominant performance in the paint and a disruptive defensive effort that stifled the Revolutionaries’ offense for long stretches. Fordham improved to 12-10 overall, while George Washington fell to 13-9.

The most critical phase of the contest was a decisive 14-2 run by Fordham spanning the final minutes of the first half and the opening minutes of the second. Leading by just three points at 31-28, the Rams closed the first half with seven consecutive points, capped by a driving layup from DeJour Reaves. They then opened the second half with seven more, including a 3-pointer from Akira Jacobs, to extend their lead to 45-30. George Washington never recovered, unable to cut the deficit to single digits again as Fordham consistently answered every mini-run with scores in the lane or at the free-throw line.

Fordham’s victory was built on interior dominance and converting George Washington’s mistakes. The Rams outscored the Revolutionaries 48 to 26 in the paint and held an 18 to 5 advantage in points off turnovers. Defensively, Fordham forced 13 turnovers while committing only 10 and recorded nine steals and five blocks. The Rams also controlled the glass with 13 offensive rebounds, leading to 16 second-chance points.

Reaves, a guard from Syracuse, New York, led all scorers with 19 points, adding five rebounds and six assists. Christian Henry contributed 15 points, and Akira Jacobs added 14, including three 3-pointers. The frontcourt duo of Jack Whitbourn and Rikus Schulte provided a massive presence, combining for 22 rebounds. Whitbourn, a 6-foot-10 center from Melbourne, Australia, recorded a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in just 20 minutes, while Schulte, from Munster, Germany, nearly matched him with seven points and 10 rebounds.

George Washington struggled to find consistent offense outside of early 3-point shooting. The Revolutionaries shot just 39.3% from the field and were hampered by a season-low four assists as a team. Christian Jones led the home side with 13 points and six assists, but also committed five turnovers. Tyrone Marshall added 11 points and five assists.

The Rams set the tone early with their physicality, establishing a slim 34-31 halftime lead despite George Washington hitting five first-half 3-pointers. The Revolutionaries’ offense grew stagnant in the second half, often resorting to contested jump shots against a packed Fordham defense. Meanwhile, the Rams methodically worked the ball inside, shooting 13 of 17 from the free-throw line in the second half to maintain control.

A crowd of 2,526 watched as Fordham snapped a two-game losing streak in the series and won for just the third time in its last eight games. George Washington, which had been 9-2 at home this season, saw its two-game winning streak end.

Fordham returns to action Tuesday afternoon hosting VCU. George Washington travels to face Saint Joseph’s on Wednesday.