It was part of a full-court press on social media to fill Rose Hill Gym, which had seen no more than 1,734 fans this season.
The Rams were able to take advantage of a big turnout in what was touted as the programâs biggest game in years, pulling away in the final minutes for a 75-65 Atlantic 10 win to break SLUâs six-game win streak.
The Billikens (15-7 overall, 7-2 in the A-10) led most of the game until Fordham made six consecutive free throws after the game was tied at 63. It was the fifth straight win for the Rams (18-4, 6-3).
The SLU offense was discombobulated the entire game, something that was emphasized by Francis Okoro leading the team with two assists while Yuri Collins had one.
Okoro was the bright spot for the Billikens with 21 points and 11 rebounds.
SLU started the game alone in first place in the A-10, but VCUâs win at Davidson put the Rams at 8-2, a half-game ahead of the Billikens entering their meeting Friday at Chaifetz Arena.
Fordham, meanwhile, remained in strong contention for a top-four spot in the A-10, a position that awards a double bye in the conference tournament.
Fordham began applying pressure to start the second half, and the Billikens didnât handle it well, whether it was full court or half court. Steals led to transition baskets for the Rams. Half-court disruption took SLU out of its offense.
The Billikens ended up with 16 turnovers, and Fordham turned them into 18 points. But SLU was able to scrap and claw to keep the lead until Fordham tied the game at 51 with 10 minutes left.
SLU was hindered in the second half by a few things, including a lack of composure with the ball by many players. Also, Okoro was unable to get involved for a long stretch after a big first half.
He did not see the ball much to start the second and then picked up his second and third fouls and had to leave the floor. When he returned, it was to a close game that the Rams had tied. They finally regained the lead with 6:30 remaining.
The teams then traded the lead seven times until the final media timeout.
Like the previous game, Okoro went to work offensively from the get-go, scoring six points in the opening minutes to give SLU a small lead it held until the break. The Billikens did so despite having Collins pick up his second foul with 9:25 left.
SLU opted for Javon Pickett and Javonte Perkins handling the ball most of the remainder of the half, leading to spotty results in the half-court offense.
But Okoro was the constant as he backed defenders to the rim for mini hooks and reverse layups. He also had five offensive rebounds to help the Billikens keep pace with the Rams, who hurt SLU at times with offensive boards.
The Billikens scored 26 of their 36 points in the half in the paint, largely ignoring 3s, which were defended well by the Rams. They attempted four in the half, and Gibson Jimerson didnât attempt any. In fact, he didnât have a single shot attempt in the first half.
Larry Hughes Jr. played a long stretch of the half, mostly off the ball. He had his biggest impact on defense with one steal and one charge that was drawn.
The Rams, meanwhile, didnât shy away from 3s, taking 14 but making only three. Nevertheless, guard Darius Quisenberry was effective off the dribble and scored 13 on his way to 27.
