Preview: Fordham Rams at Rhode Island Rams SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (Interstat) — A pivotal Atlantic 10 Conference clash between teams sharing a nickname will unfold Saturday when the Fordham Rams visit the Rhode Island Rams at the Ryan Center. Both teams enter the Valentine’s Day matinee looking to build momentum for the final stretch of the regular season. Rhode Island (14-10) holds a slight edge in the standings over Fordham (13-12) and will aim to protect its home court, where it has posted a 10-3 record this season. Fordham, coming off a 68-64 road win at Saint Joseph’s on Tuesday, seeks its first winning streak in nearly a month. The matchup features two of the conference’s key performers. Fordham will rely on forward Rikus Schulte, who is coming off a 19-point effort in the win over Saint Joe’s. Over his last eight games, Schulte has averaged 8.6 points and 4.9 rebounds, providing consistent interior presence. Rhode Island’s fortunes will heavily depend on the explosive scoring of guard Tyler Cochran. He is averaging 22.3 points over his last six contests, including a 34-point, 10-rebound performance in a win over Richmond on Feb. 7. In Rhode Island’s most recent game, a 75-70 loss at George Washington, Cochran poured in 24 points. Fordham’s recent success has been fueled by balanced scoring. In the win over Saint Joseph’s, Christian Henry added 17 points and four assists, while Abass Bodija chipped in 12 points. Containing Cochran while finding offensive production beyond Schulte will be critical for the visiting Rams. Rhode Island, which had a three-game win streak snapped at GW, has shown resilience, including an overtime road win at Dayton on Jan. 27. The home Rams have won three of their last five. This contest is the first of a regular-season home-and-home series, with the rematch scheduled for March 7 at Fordham. Saturday’s winner will gain a valuable tiebreaker and crucial conference positioning as the Atlantic 10 Tournament approaches. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST at the Ryan Center.