Fordham 60 North Texas 59: Efficiency

It all came down to the final second. Or, in this case, the final review. In a game with six ties and nine lead changes, Fordham defeated North Texas 60-59 at the NABC Showcase at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on Sunday. Fordham is now 5-5 while North Texas dropped to 5-4.

It came down to the last possession as the Rams’ Abdou Tsimbila took a pass from Japhet Medor and slammed it home at the buzzer. Following the official review the basket was deemed good. Game over. 

Listed are the efficiency numbers of Keith Urgo’s players logging ten or more minutes. The efficiency is the NBA model and is calculated as follows:

(points + rebounds + assists + steals + blocked shots) – (FGA missed + FTA missed + turnovers)

Jason Edwards of North Texas, the Kenpom.com MVP scored a game high 19 points. The sophomore guard’s efficiency was 15. Antrell Charlton led the Rams with ten points. 

Ogheneyole Akuwovo posted the team leading efficiency despite logging just 15 minutes. The 6’9” senior scored eight points (one missed shot) while grabbing six rebounds.

Medor, as noted, made the key pass yet ironically was the only Ram with a negative number. A total 12 missed shots and game high seven turnovers were responsible. Despite the metrics, the senior guard made the play when it mattered most.

Game was played at a moderate 65 possession pace. The offensive efficiency:

Fordham 92

North Texas 91

One thing the numbers did not measure was resilience. Rams trailed by 12 at intermission. They immediately bounced back putting together a 10-0 run to start the final stanza. Defense, though, was the key as Russ Hodge’s Mean Green became the ‘mean lean’ netting just one field goal the first eight minutes of the second half. Each time North Texas hinted at getting separation, Fordham answered with resolve, valuable yet incalculable. 

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