Fordham

When: Saturday at 6 p.m., Franklin Field Radio: WFIL-AM (560). Records: Fordham, 1-3; Penn, 1-2. Coaches: Fordham, Tom Masella, (sixth season, 27-33); Penn, Al Bagnoli (20th season, 132-59). Series: Penn leads, 4-0. This is the first meeting since 1999 of two of college football's most historic programs.  WHAT TO WATCH Has all-Ivy quarterback Billy Ragone hit his stride? Ragone (15 for 25, 160 yards) led Penn on an 89-yard, game-winning drive last week against Dartmouth.

Qwedia Wallace scored 17 points as Temple snapped a three-game losing streak with a 67-34 win over visiting Fordham at McGonigle Hall last night. Wallace was 5-for-9 from beyond the three-point arc. BJ Williams (10 assists) and Kristen McCarthy added 13 points each for Temple (11-5, 1-1 Atlantic 10). Fordham fell to 6-11, 0-2. In another game: At Charlotte, Jamie Walsh's 20 points weren't enough as La Salle lost to the 49ers, 69-60. Morgan Robertson added 10 points for the Explorers (5-12, 0-2 Atlantic 10)

Freshman guard Adrian Walton scored 22 points and William "Smush" Parker added 20 as Fordham beat La Salle, 74-63, yesterday. It was the Rams' third straight victory. The Explorers have lost six of their last seven. Walton was 6 for 9 from the floor and 9 for 10 from the free-throw line. "He's a good player," La Salle coach Billy Hahn said of Walton. "He's aggressive. He takes control of the ball. He doesn't turn it over. " Rasual Butler had 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Explorers (8-11 overall, 1-6 Atlantic Ten)

Jamir Livingston, a three-year starter at tailback for St. Joseph's Prep, has orally committed to play for Fordham. "I liked the school a lot on my visit there over the weekend," he said. "It's not that far from home, but far enough. And the idea of going to school in the city of New York excited me. " Last season, in helping the Hawks go 10-3 overall and reach the Catholic League Red Division championship game, the 5-foot-7, 165-pound Livingston rushed for 1,390 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Marcus Stout of Fordham is getting into a habit of beating Richmond with late shots. The first one may be considered ho-hum. A layup with 2 seconds to play in a regular-season game in January. The second, which occurred yesterday, was more memorable. Stout, who finished with 17 points, converted a three-point play with 29.5 seconds to play and fifth-seeded Fordham (18-11) avoided an early upset with a 63-61 win in the opening round of the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament at Boardwalk Hall.

Take away a 10-point loss to Villanova last week, and the Penn basketball team had been making short work of its opponents in winning five of its last six outings. The Quakers have had an average margin of victory of 21.4 points per game. They have shot 52.08 percent, doled out 111 assists on 143 baskets, compiled a plus-4.20 turnover ratio, averaged 12 steals per game, and spent only 4 minutes, 31 seconds trailing on the scoreboard. Last night, in a nonleague contest against Fordham, however, Penn saw hot-shooting visitors who had things go their way. The result was a 77-60 victory for the Rams before 3,156 spectators at the Palestra.

NEW YORK - John Giannini has insisted that the margin for error for his La Salle team in the Atlantic 10 is minuscule. In Fordham's overstuffed gym in the Bronx Saturday, he was proven right. The Explorers (18-11, 7-7 A-10) dropped a physical 67-62 decision to Fordham, surrendering 35 points and 16 rebounds to Chris Gaston, the league's leading rebounder, and 26 offensive rebounds to the Rams. The win dropped La Salle behind Dayton, which hosted UMass on Saturday night, in the Atlantic Ten standings.

The gist of the sermon was familiar, even if the volume was a bit higher. And if there was a damning word in it, try quit. La Salle coach Speedy Morris' comments to his team after its 87-79 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference loss to Fordham last night wouldn't make good reading in a family newspaper. Not that they included that many expletives. Accusations, yes. Expletives, no. Among other things, Morris accused his team of not believing in itself at critical times of the game, of not being able to live with adversity and of not being able to play tough defense.

Rick Kazigian fired a no-hitter as Widener beat Arcadia, 4-0, to sweep a Commonwealth Conference doubleheader Saturday in Chester. Kazigian, a senior from Malvern Prep, walked the first batter of the game, then set down the Knights (11-16, 5-7) in order the rest of the way, striking out six. Jason Ferrie (Spring-Ford) threw a four-hitter for a 4-1 win in the opener for the Pride (17-11, 7-5). GYMNASTICS: Temple's Matt Martin and John Leonard won individual gold medals at the ECAC men's championships at McGonigle Hall.

NEW YORK - Fran Dunphy admits that Temple had some interesting circumstances this season. "You have to deal with Scootie [Randall] not being with us," the Owls coach said of his team missing its inspirational leader the entire season with a left knee injury. "You have to deal with Mike [Eric] having not played in 13 games" with a fractured right kneecap. "So they've come together and really done a great job if you look at the big picture. " And that might be an understatement.

St. Joseph's took advantage of its home court in Hagan Arena Friday afternoon and shook off a slow start to beat Fordham 63-52 in an Atlantic 10 women's basketball tournament first round game. Michelle Baker scored 20 points, while Ashley Prim scored 13 points, and Katie Kuester and Ashley Robinson scored 10 each for the fith-seeded Hawks (20-9) who move into a Saturday quarterfinal game 2:30 p.m. against fourth-seeded Richmond (22-7). The Spiders had a bye as did second-seeded Temple (20-8)

Villanova announced its 2012 football schedule on Thursday. The season will open Aug. 31 with the fourth annual Mayor's Cup game against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field. The home opener against Fordham is scheduled for Sept. 8. Game times are to be announced. Villanova Football Schedule Aug. 31          at Temple                   (Lincoln Financial Field) Sept. 8          Fordham Sept. 15          Rhode Island Sept.

ATLANTIC 10 THIS WEEK STANDINGS Conference Overall W- L Pct. W- L Pct. Temple. . . 11-3 .786 22-6 .786 Saint Louis. . . 10-4 .714 22-6 .786 Xavier. . . 9-5 .643 18-10 .643 St. Bonaventure. . . 9-5 .643 16-10 .615 Saint Joseph's. . . 9-6 .600 19-11 .633 Massachusetts. . . 8-6 .571 19-9 .679 Dayton. . . 8-6 .571 18-10 .643 La Salle. . . 7-7 .500 18-11 .621 Duquesne. . . 6-8 .429 15-13 .536 Richmond.

Saint Joseph's honored its seniors before Sunday's regular-season finale in Hagan Arena, and Kelly Cavallo, Katie Kuester, Michelle Baker, and Samira van Grinsven combined for 37 points as the Hawks defeated George Washington, 52-49. St. Joe finished 19-9 overall and 9-5 in the Atlantic Ten and will be seeded fifth in the conference tournament, beginning Friday. George Washington (11-7, 4-10) was still within two points, at 51-49, after a pair of three-points by Tara Booker (Absegami)

NEW YORK - John Giannini has insisted that the margin for error for his La Salle team in the Atlantic 10 is minuscule. In Fordham's overstuffed gym in the Bronx Saturday, he was proven right. The Explorers (18-11, 7-7 A-10) dropped a physical 67-62 decision to Fordham, surrendering 35 points and 16 rebounds to Chris Gaston, the league's leading rebounder, and 26 offensive rebounds to the Rams. The win dropped La Salle behind Dayton, which hosted UMass on Saturday night, in the Atlantic Ten standings.

Shey Peddy had 21 points along with 11 assists to lead Temple (14-8, 7-1 Atlantic Ten) to its seventh straight win, 69-51 over Fordham (11-13, 2-7) in McGonigle Hall on Saturday. Victoria Macaulay added 18 points for the Owls. Philadelphia U. 100, Concordia 51 - Christine Wooding (Mainland) had 27 points and 19 rebounds as the Rams (17-5, 11-2 CACC) routed the visiting Clippers (6-15, 5-9). Taylor Peltzer (Archbishop Wood) added 16 points and 10 rebounds and Kristen Blye (Downingtown East)

Temple fans, coaches, and players knew it was going to happen: a blowout victory over Fordham. The Owls prevailed, 78-60, Wednesday at the Liacouras Center in an Atlantic Ten matchup against what is traditionally the conference's worst team. Temple (16-5, 5-2 A-10) has won five straight against Fordham (9-12, 2-6) and 26 of the last 30 meetings. The Owls hold a series advantage of 39-13. As usual, Ramone Moore and Khalif Wyatt were the difference in the game. Moore, a senior guard, made a career-high six three-pointers to finish with a game-high 25 points.

IF YOU WANT to be the best team in your conference, you obviously have to get past enough of the other contenders. But you also have to get it done against the not-as-good clubs, especially at home, because they all count. Temple, which is looking more and more like the Atlantic 10's team to beat, did exactly that last night at the Liacouras Center, where the Owls rarely lose even to the haves. Temple won its fifth straight, to remain tied for first in the loss column, 78-60 over Fordham, which has now lost six of eight.