What to Look For in Fordham's Preseason Matchup Against UMBC

Announced last week, Fordham will host UMBC in a public charity exhibition on Sunday, October 29th at 4 PM in Rose Hill Gym. 

All proceeds will be donated to Able Athletics, a local charity that provides athletic opportunities to children with special needs.

Led by veteran head coach Jim Ferry, UMBC's team features a lot of new faces and are projected to finish in the middle of the pack in the America East.

In celebration of next week's exhibition, here are two matchups to look for as the Rams prepare for their tilt against UMBC: 

Fordham’s New Starters vs UMBC’s Size and Physicality 

The UMBC Retrievers’ roster added nine new pieces that switch up coach Jim Ferry’s lineup and rotations that will feature more size, versatility and diversity. 

No one on the roster is shorter than 6’3, which will force Fordham’s new starting point guard Japhet Medor (6’0 165) to match up with the 6’3 190 sophomore Dion Brown, who was an America East All-Rookie Selection and happens to be UMBC's smallest player.

One of the most exciting breakout candidates in the A-10, sophomore Will Richardson, will be likely matched up with former Chicago State guard Bryce Johnson, a 6’4 190 shooting guard who averaged nearly double-digit scorer last season and can create from all levels. 

UMBC’s grad transfer frontcourt pickups Max Lorca-Lloyd (6’8 220 from Penn) and Khydarius Smith (6’8 255 from USC-Upstate) will test Fordham's forwards and bigs, especially if or when Ferry decides to play the duo together.

A patient, low-post lefty, Smith finished the season averaging double-digits despite playing less than twenty minutes-per-game across the final ten games. Both Smith (second best block rate in the Big South) and Lorca-Lloyd (best block rate in the Ivy) will make UMBC one of the best rim-protecting teams in the America East, testing Tsimbila, new backup big Ogheneyole Akuwovo (Binghamton) and whichever Ram steps up to replace Khalid Moore at the PF spot. 

UMBC’s Pace and Space

Jim Ferry is an offensive-minded coach and if there were one word to describe his style, “pace” fits best. Throughout his nearly two decades as a head coach, Ferry-led teams have always ranked within the top-100 in average possession length, highlighted by a stretch between the 2010-11 and 2015-16 seasons when his teams ranked within the top-25 in average possession length in all but one season.

Ferry-led teams also let it fly from deep. Each of his teams at Duquesne, Penn State and UMBC have attempted at least 35.3% of their field goal attempts from three, ranking these teams amongst the top-120 in all but one season. 

Last season, Fordham’s perimeter defense was a major strength. During A-10 play, opponents shot only 29% of their attempts from three (1st in the conference) and converted only 32% of those attempts (3rd in the conference). Kyle Rose and Antrell Charlton led the Rams’ pestering perimeter play, and it will be exciting to see which new and returning Rams bolster the perimeter D.