Men’s basketball announces schedule for 2024-25 non-conference season

BRONX, NY – In his third season at the helm of the program, Fordham’s head basketball coach Keith Urgo has announced his team’s non-conference schedule for the upcoming 2024–25 season.

The challenging schedule includes at least three games against top-notch opponents, including two local opponents from the BIG EAST. In addition to the Rams’ previously announced game against St. John’s, Fordham will also travel to Seton Hall for its first game against the Pirates since 2001.

The last time Fordham faced three or more top-tier opponents during its amateur league season was in 2017-18, when the Rams played Florida State, Rutgers and West Virginia. Fordham could face four top-tier opponents this year depending on how the Sunshine Slam standings pan out, a challenge Fordham hasn’t faced since 2012-13, when the Rams faced Pittsburgh, St. John’s, Connecticut, Georgia Tech and Ole Miss.

In addition, the Sunshine Slam will be the toughest multi-team event (MTE) for the Rams in over 30 years. Last season, Clemson (19), San Francisco (65) and Penn State (77) averaged a KenPom rank of 53.7, the lowest average for Fordham’s opponents in an MTE field since the KenPom era began in 1996-97. It will be the strongest tournament field the Rams have faced since the 1993 Fiesta Bowl Classic, which featured reigning national runner-up Michigan, Arizona coming off a 24-4 season and Auburn coming off an NIT bid.

Fordham begins its 2024 season on Monday, November 4th with a short trip to Queens as the Rams will face St. John’s at Carnesecca Arena. It will be the 91st.^st The first-ever meeting between the two New York programs and the third time in the last four years that the two schools have faced each other.

After opening the season against the Johnnies, the Rams will face their second consecutive BIG EAST opponent to begin the season. They will travel to South Orange to face Seton Hall at Walsh Gym on Saturday, November 9. Fordham and Seton Hall, regular opponents from the 1950s through the 1980s, will be facing off for the 50th time.^th times overall and the first time since December 28, 2001. Fordham leads the all-time series with the Pirates, 26-23.

The Rams host their first home game on Nov. 12, hosting Binghamton on Tuesday night at Rose Hill Gym. Fordham has a 3-0 overall record against the Bearcats, including a 77-62 win in the 2022-23 season.

Fordham will play its third away game of the young season on Friday, November 15th when it travels to Riverdale for the annual Battle of the Bronx against Manhattan. The teams will meet for the 115th annual meeting.^th time, by far more than any other opponent in Fordham history. Last season, after a one-year hiatus, Fordham resumed the rivalry with a bang, defeating the Jaspers 93-61, the Rams’ most convincing victory over Manhattan since 1986.

The Rams will return to Rose Hill Gym for two home games, beginning on Nov. 19 when Fordham hosts Division II Georgian Court in the Bronx. Three days later, on Nov. 22, Fordham hosts Drexel in an on-campus game of the Sunshine Slam. The Dragons have four consecutive winning seasons, including a 20-12 performance last season that was good enough for a second-place finish in the CAA.

After the Drexel game, the Rams will head south to Daytona Beach for the aforementioned Sunshine Slam. The Rams will play Penn State on Nov. 25 at 4 p.m. before facing either Clemson or San Francisco the next day.

Following their trip to the Sunshine State, Fordham will play four of its five remaining non-league games in the friendly environment of Rose Hill Gym. Beginning on December 1, Fordham will host three games in eight days against New Hampshire (December 1), FDU (December 4) and Maine (December 8).

The Rams will play in a non-conference game on the road for the final time on Saturday, Dec. 14, when they travel to Mohegan Sun Arena to face Bryant as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Showcase. The game will be part of a doubleheader that also includes Providence and St. Bonaventure.

After a week off to focus on finals, the Rams will finish their non-collegiate schedule with a game against UAlbany on Saturday, Dec. 21. The teams will meet for the second time in the history of the two programs and the first time in over a century. Fordham won the first game on Feb. 17, 1923, 40-17 against what was then known as State Teacher’s College.

Season tickets for the 2024-25 season go on sale tomorrow, August 28, at 12 p.m. To purchase your new season ticket package, click here.

Kick-off times, ticket information and broadcast locations will be announced at a later date.