Fordham is hoping to emulate Duquesne's recent success.

Duquesne has shown signs of life during coach Ron Everhart's four-plus seasons with the team, which played Temple for the A-10 championship two years ago and is riding an eight-game winning streak.

Fordham continues to sputter, though the Rams in coach Tom Pecora's first year already have surpassed last season's woeful win total of two.

"On any given day," Everhart said, "they're a team that can wear you out."

Duquesne meets Fordham on Wednesday night at Rose Hill Gym in New York.
"I consider him a good friend," Pecora said of Everhart. "He's a (great) basketball coach. The job he's done at Duquesne is really something we'd like to simulate here. He took a program that had struggled and won three games (in 2005-06), and they continue to grow each year. With 13 wins this year, he's off to a great start."