Point guards Chaz Williams and Branden Frazier will bring a distinctly Brooklyn flavor to Sunday's game in the Bronx.
Let's take a look at UMass basketball's next opponent, the Fordham Rams.
Fordham | 5-11 (1-0)
Game Quick Facts
Date: Sunday, Jan. 13Time: 1 p.m.
Site: Rose Hill Gymnasium
TV: YES Network (Direct TV 631)
Radio: 105.5 FM WEEI, 1440 AM WEEI, 95.9 FM WATD
Opponent's Last Five Games
Dec. 23 — vs. Siena (81-75 W)Dec. 29 — at Georgia Tech (48-73 L)
Dec. 31 — vs. Monmouth (82-71 W)
Jan. 4 — at Ole Miss (68-95 L)
Jan. 9 — vs. Duquesne (82-75 W)
Projected lineup
• Branden Frazier, GJr., 6-3, 170 lbs
16 G, 16 GS, 15.8 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 5.6 APG
• Mandell Thomas, G
Fr., 6-2, 185 lbs
15 G, 6 GS, 5.3 PPG, 2.1 RPG
• Bryan Smith, G
So., 6-2, 175 lbs.
16 G, 14 GS, 9.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG
• Chris Gaston, F
Sr., 6-7, 231 lbs.
10 G, 10 GS, 14.5 PPG, 7.4 RPG
• Ryan Canty, C
So., 6-9, 230 lbs.
16 G, 8 GS, 7.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG
Player to watch
Branden Frazier, GA lot of the focus when it comes to Fordham goes to Chris Gaston — and rightfully so, as he is what UMass coach Derek Kellogg is fond of calling a "double-double machine" — but it is Frazier that has been the man in charge of the Rams offense, making the leap from a year ago into a bona fide all-conference player with improved free-throw shooting and floor presence.
Not only that, Frazier and UMass point guard Chaz Williams both hail from Brooklyn, and attended catholic high schools that were just over two miles away from each other. With Williams wanting to step it up in his native New York City, this matchup could be fascinating when the teams take the floor Sunday afternoon.