University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
Fordham
Birthday Boy Milligan Lead UMass Past Fordham, 74-59
February 16, 2007 | Men's Basketball
Feb. 15, 2007
BRONX, N.Y. - Two unlikely heroes emerged as UMass won at Fordham for the first time in seven years, 74-59 on Thursday night at Rose Hill Gym. Senior Brandon Thomas scored a season-high 12 points while Dante Milligan, playing on his 23rd birthday, had nine points and a career-high 11 rebounds. Senior Stephane Lasme a game-high 18 points, 10 rebounds and seven blocked shots.
The Minutemen improved to 18-7 overall and 8-3 in the Atlantic 10, just one-half game behind Rhode Island (9-3) in the league standings. Fordham lost its fourth game in a row and stands at 13-11 overall, 6-6 in the league.
UMass took over in the second half as they outscored the Rams, 44-32. Lasme had 12 in the half while Gary Forbes scored all 11 of his points in the period. The Minutemen opened the half outscoring Fordham 26-9 to go up by 20 points at 56-36 with 7:27 left in the game on a Milligan lay-up.
UMass held a 30-27 lead at halftime after a 20 ragged minutes of basketball. Thomas had seven points to lead UMass in the first half. The Minutemen shot just 35.5 percent from the floor while the Rams were just 25.7 percent in the half. UMass outrebounded Fordham, 26-14, in the first half with Lasme grabbing seven and Dante Milligan corralling six.
The Minutemen held the Rams scoreless spanning 8:08 as the Minutemen went on a 16-0 run with Thomas hitting a lay-up and 3-pointer put UMass ahead 11-6 with 8:55 left in the first. The Minutemen built the lead to 18-6 on a James Life 3-pointer with 7:22 left in the half.
UMass started off cold as the air in New York City, missing 11 of their first 12 shots and trailing 6-4 through the first 10 minutes of the game.
The Minutemen wrap up their three-game road swing at Dayton on Sunday at 2 p.m. The game will be on the CSTV Networks including TV38 in Massachusetts.
