CINCINNATI (OH) – Fordham Rams

Previous Record (Conf)
3-25 (1-15)

Key Non-Conference Games
Of Fordham’s 12 non-conference games, only four are at home and they have a decent shot of winning two: Maine (13Nov) and Stony Brook (8Dec). They might be able to steal a win at Kennesaw St (29Dec).

Projected Conference Record (Finish)
1-15 (14th)

Conference Home-and-Home Partners
Xavier, St Bonaventure, Rhode Island

Outlook
In his seventh year leading the Rams, Dereck Whittenburg (68-111) has turned into a caretaker head coach with a surly disposition. Frustrated with the Fordham administration and vocally questioning their support and expectations in the press, firing may be a welcome respite for him at this point.

Whit has struggled to bring in and retain A-10 caliber talent consistently. The Rams have only one player who could start at other A-10 schools in point guard Jio Fontan. With six newcomers and a senior class full of one-dimensional role players, Fordham should again be over-matched and inexperienced.

Whittenburg needs to sell team defense to the youngsters and find a couple of shooters to keep defenses honest and give Fontan room to operate. The Rams shot a woeful 29.7% from behind the arc and got pounded inside allowing the opposition to make 53% of their two-point attempts.

The Rams will be bigger and deeper, but will they by any more talented? Whittenburg needs to redirect his ire and tap back into the passion he brought with him when he first arrived. If he doesn’t impose an identity of defense and effort on this squad early on, the season could quickly flame out along with his head coaching career


Spotlight On
Jio Fontan – Unlucky sophomore will be asked to do everything but wash the towels and draw up plays during timeouts. After being refused his release by Fordham administration in the off-season (amid swirling rumors of his pursuit by other schools), Fontan’s motivation is in question along with Whittenburg and the Fordham administration.

Best Case Scenario
Freshman Chris Gaston makes the all-Rookie team and gives the Rams some much needed size. Guard Lance Brown takes the scoring pressure off Fontan in the backcourt. Head coach Dereck Whittenburg continues to lob verbal grenades at the Fordham administration entertaining the fan-base in the papers if not on the court.

Worst Case Scenario
How can it get any worse?