Fordham fans never saw a game quite like Wednesday’s in the first 100 years of Rose Hill Gym.
The Rams fell to the Minutemen, 120-118, in their first Rose Hill triple-overtime game that featured absurd moments and records being set left and right in the final game of the first 100 years of the iconic gym.
UMass senior Rahsool Diggins’ had a night to remember, with his 46-point effort setting a new program record, passing NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving for the most points ever scored at Fordham by an opponent and matching the Rose Hill single-game record.
Fordham’s 118 points marked the most the program has ever scored at home, UMass set the new record for opponents and the 238 total points marked the most scored in the programs’ and Rose Hill history.
“(Diggins has) been with me for three years so I’m not surprised that he had the courage to do what he did tonight,” UMass coach Frank Martin said, per the Daily Collegian.
Fordham’s tiny on-campus arena in The Bronx opened with a 46-16 win over Boston College on Jan. 16, 1925 and Wednesday’s game on the eve of the 100-year anniversary may as well have been a different sport with the teams scoring nearly four time as many points — albeit across 15 extra minutes.
Entering the game, Erving had stood unopposed for 55 years after scoring 37 points while starring for the Minutemen in 1970. Ken Charles’ 46-point game in 1973 approached 52 years as the home gym record.
Well, Diggins now will be a part of next 100 years of Rose Hill history after his iconic effort.
Here are some of the absurd stats from this game, courtesy of the UMass and Fordham athletic sites, along with ESPN:
— Nine players fouled out
— Fordham set program records with 48 made free throws and 65 attempts
— The teams converted 85 of 122 combined free throw attempts
— The 122 attempts marked the most in a Division I game since 1996-97
— The Atlantic 10 schools committed 79 combined fouls, the most in a Division I game since 2017
— Diggins’ 46 points marked the eighth-most in A-10 history
As one can imagine, the game featured some insane twists to even to get to three overtimes.
UMass’ Marqui Worthy hit a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 79-all and force overtime.
The Minutemen (7-11, 2-3 A-10) then seemed to have the game locked up when Diggins hit a free throw with one second left in the first overtime to grab a 98-95 lead, but an inexplicable foul on a half-court prayer gave Fordham (8-10, 0-5 A-10) a chance to tie the contest.
Romad Dean hit all three free throws to force a second overtime.
A UMass made free throw with 11 seconds remaining in the second overtime forced a third extra session before the Minutemen scored the game-winning basket with 10 seconds left in the third overtime.
Be sure to check back on Jan. 15, 2125 to see how the second century of Rose Hill ends.
