Fordham chalked up its mistakes to experience and its losses to lessons. And after the Rams’ season came to an ignominious end Thursday — falling 87-74 to Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Tournament — the Rams took solace in the hope their raw young roster will be a little less raw and a little less young next season.
For Tom Pecora’s sake, he hopes so at least. The coach saw Brooklyn-bred senior Branden Frazier end his career with 30 points and applause from the Barclays Center crowd around the corner from his home, but what he really needs to see is the fifth year of this rebuilding project bear more fruit than the first four.
“I truly believe it’s something we can build off,’’ said Pecora, 34-85 at Fordham with three years left on his contract. “Early in the year I called our mistakes experience, because they’ve gone through the gantlet of A-10 now. This is such a good league, it’s gotten better every year I’ve been in it at Fordham.
“It’s a heck of a basketball league. If you don’t compete … good leagues eat their young, and we’re still young. But next year we won’t be quite as young, and will be moving in the direction of becoming a good program in this league. That’s what our goal was when we walked on campus four years ago.”
Fordham walked out of Barclays Center 10-21 and hoping its young roster — with Frazier the only scholarship senior — would improve. Fifth-seeded Dayton (23-9) walked out as a legitimate contender for the Big Dance, and with a 2:30 p.m. quarterfinal date Friday against Saint Joseph’s.
Vee Sanford tied a career high with 23 points off the bench, shooting 9-for-9 from the floor and helping to lock up Frazier and Jon Severe, who came in as the league’s highest-scoring duo. They combined to score 45 points, but shot just 13-of-42 with eight turnovers.
“We knew they were really good scorers. In the scouting report we knew they were going to hit tough shots,’’ Sanford said. “This is a game you’ve just got to guard your yard. This is a game you have to just play D and have a little pride.’’
Fordham came out of the gate looking fatigued, shooting just 27 percent in the first half and letting Dayton hit 63 percent. They fell behind by 22 and trailed 50-31 at intermission. Despite using the 3-pointer to make a second-half run, they never got closer than five.
“I just felt comfortable playing and had a lot of friends and family here,’’ said Frazier, a Bishop Loughlin product who finished ninth in Fordham history in points (1,642) and second in assists (495). “It’s good to have 30 points, but to have a loss, I’d rather take one point for a win. It’s bittersweet.’’