Fordham men's basketball enjoying best season in more than 30 years, has eyes on NCAA tournament
NEW YORK -- March Madness is here and one of the local teams with dreams of making the NCAA tournament is a program not associated with winning.
But this year's Fordham University squad is on the verge of making the Big Dance for the first time in decades.
A Fordham practice is energetic and deafening.
"They gotta be high energy, yes sir. That's the type of style of team we are and type of style of play we have. That's what we try to accomplish on the court. That's why you gotta bring it in practice because how you practice is how you play," guard Darius Quisenberry said.
At the core of that energy is head coach Keith Urgo.
"I'm one of 10 children. You gotta be energetic. Very competitive household with nine boys and one girl. I'm not the biggest of guys so I needed to bring a lot of energy and toughness when I played sports," Urgo said.
"If I gonna ask them to bring that energy and I don't bring it myself, that's kind of fraudulent," he added.
Urgo has led Fordham to the school's greatest season in more than 30 years. Two years ago, the Rams won just two games. This season, they are 24-7.
"They go into every game believing they're going to win regardless of who they play," Urgo said, adding when asked how important that is, "That's extremely important. That mentality, that characteristic, I don't think it has been here before."
Urgo's success in the Bronx earned him Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year. He has given the team and identity centered around unity and effort.
"Playing as hard as you possibly can, playing as together as you possibly can. We're not the most talented team, but I believe we are the most together. Our guys know that and, collectively, if we stick together and stick to what we're capable of doing, which is playing extremely hard and physical on the defensive end an using our depth, we're going to be able to compete with anybody," Urgo said.
It's crazy to think this team was expected to be one of the worst in the conference, but this is March and it does bring out the madness.
Fordham starts the A-10 Tournament on Thursday night at Barclays Center.
The Rams last qualified for the NCAA tournament in 1992, losing in the first round to UMass.