EW YORK - The University of Massachusetts has performed in more exotic locations than Rose Hill Gymnasium. And the Minutemen have confronted much more difficult competition than Fordham. Predictably, UMass had an easy time with the Rams last night, taking a 73-55 victory in an Atlantic 10 Conference game.

UMass (8-5 overall, 2-0 conference) dominated with a strong and quick inside presence. Fordham (4-8, 0-2) relied on guard Bevon Robin, who started strongly but had little support on the low post and was not a factor when the Rams were most in need.

Over a 15:52 span at the end of the first half and start of the second, UMass went on a 36-7 spree to rally from a 1-point deficit to a 54-26 lead.

After a timeout, Robin and Scott Harmatuk converted 3-pointers to break the Fordham drought.

UMass took control with a full-court press, concentrating especially on Robin, and an overpowering inside game. Though Fordham presented a zone defense, UMass had little difficulty attacking it even without a significant perimeter game.

Minutemen reserves struggled briefly in the second half, but the starters returned and extended the rout. Eventually, coach Bruiser Flint sent in nearly every reserve in an apparent attempt to keep the game from becoming too ridiculous.

UMass went on a final 8-0 run for a 70-48 edge on Jonathan DePina's layup with 4:24 remaining. Then the reserves took over, and UMass scored only one more field goal in the contest.

Fordham appeared outmatched inside, but the Rams were aggressive and resourceful enough to remain in contention for most of the first half. But UMass took command with Tyrone Weeks's offensive versatility and a full-court press.

Fordham converted only one field goal in the first 2:57 of the contest, and UMass missed only two shots in the first six minutes. However, the Minutemen could not pull away, especially after Weeks was removed from the lineup.

UMass dominated inside and scored the first 6 points of the game on follows and in-the-lane moves. Chris Kirkland replaced Mike Babul, who was injured on a drive 25 seconds into the game, and gave UMass a 6-0 lead with a follow.

Weeks hit a 15-footer and layup for a 10-5 edge with 16:19 remaining but then was benched. He returned to land a 15-footer for a 16-11 edge with 12:18 to play.

Fordham struggled after Maurice Curtis was removed after committing his second personal foul. But the Rams' reserves adjusted and Robin took command with an effective combination of perimeter shooting and driving.

Robin's drive gave Fordham a 19-18 edge with 7:36 remaining. Then Babul's passing and Weeks's scoring touch, plus the UMass press, ignited the Minutemen. Weeks made a 10-footer, then a layup, and Charlton Clarke drove, then converted two foul shots for a 26-19 lead with 4:31 remaining.

Belarus forward Alexander Ziskunov broke Fordham's drought with two foul shots, but the Rams went the last 7:36 of the half without a field goal.

Lari Ketner hit three foul shots, then Ajmal Basit dunked off a steal for a 31-21 lead with 1:53 remaining. After a Fordham timeout, DePina's jumper increased the edge to 33-21 with 1:02 to go. Robin converted two of four foul shots in the final minute, then Babul's jumper at the buzzer gave UMass a 35-23 lead.

RONX, N.Y. - The University of Massachusetts dusted off the scripts from its previous games with Fordham and turned in a repeat performance Tuesday night at Rose Hill Gym. UMass was sloppy early, letting the Rams hang around before stepping on the gas pedal and blowing the hosts out of their own building, 73-55.

Fordham led just once. With 7:34 remaining in the first half, Fordham freshman Bevon Robin drove the baseline and hit a layup in traffic to give the Rams an 18-17 lead. It didn't last long as UMass (8-5, 2-0) ran off a 15-2 run and never looked back.

Despite the margin of victory, some Minutemen saw signs of improvement from the Rams.

"They're a whole lot better," said senior forward Tyrone Weeks. "They're still young so they could become a pretty good team."

UMass' game-icing run nearly coincided with the arrival of former coach John Calipari, who is now coaching the New Jersey Nets. Calipari came to the game with his daughter Erin.

Calipari got to witness the previously slumping UMass big men return to form. Weeks led the Minutemen with 16 points and nine rebounds, while junior center Lari Ketner added nine boards along with 14 points.

"Tyrone did a good job rebounding the ball," said UMass coach Bruiser Flint. "When we made our runs and had some defensive stops, he was always there to get the rebound."

The game marked a homecoming for Minuteman Charlton Clarke, who had an outstanding career at St. Raymond's in the Bronx. He received loud cheers from a group of family and friends sitting behind the Minutemen bench. Clarke had nine points.

"It felt good to play here," Clarke said. "I played a lot of games here in high school, so this is kind of like my backyard."

Clarke's former AAU teammate Robin was impressive, scoring a game-high 18 points. Following the game, Robin expressed admiration for his former teammate.

"He's one of the toughest guards to guard in this conference," Robin said. "He really knows the game and he's so strong and so tough. He's gotten a lot better since he went to UMass."

Despite leading 35-23 at halftime, Flint wasn't comfortable with his team's play.

"I told them that they better step it up or we'd be going through a lot of practices like we did last week," Flint said. "In the second half we did what we should do out there. We made them earn everything in the second half."

Last week's practices must have been difficult, because the Minutemen worked hard to avoid them. UMass extended its lead with a 17-3 run to open the half. Sophomore Chris Kirkland might have been disappointed that the game wasn't on television. His tomahawk dunk over two defenders making the score 56-24, would have made the highlight reels. Kirkland finished with a career-high six points.

Much has attention has been given to UMass' three-guard combination, but that usually means Clarke, Monty Mack and Jonathan DePina. There was a different backcourt trio on the floor late in the game. Junior walk-ons Ross Burns and Andy Maclay made their first appearences in the lineup this season. Maclay picked up a rebound in his two minutes.

Freshman guard Raphael Cruz saw action for the fifth time and his first since the game against Connecticut Dec. 23. He registered his first collegiate hoop on a mid-range jump shot with 10:52 remaining. Cruz finished with two points, two rebounds, four fouls, four turnovers and a career-high six minutes.

According to Weeks, building a lead large enough to earn UMass bench players some playing time was a team goal.

"We owe it to them," Weeks said. "They work hard and practice and really help us a lot. They deserve to play."

The Minutemen return to action at 2 p.m.Saturday for their first home game sincen Dec. 6 against George Washington in the Mullins Center.

"We're looking forward to getting back," Flint said. "We're a little road weary so we're looking forward to sleeping in our own beds."

RONX, N.Y. - He arrived quietly, slipping into the second level of seats at Fordham's Rose Hill Gymnasium, but after a few minutes of whispering and pointing, most of the Bronx crowd knew that New Jersey Nets head coach John Calipari was in the building Tuesday, watching his former team do battle with the Fordham Rams.

It's the second straight year that Calipari has watched Fordham play the program he led to the Final Four in 1996. Unlike last year when he was a rookie coach struggling through a long season with a bad team, Calipari Tuesday night was happy.

"People say to me, 'John you're more at ease.' Of course I'm more at ease. We're winning," said Calipari, whose Nets are in third place at 17-14, just a half game behind cross-river rival New York Knicks. The Nets and Knicks play tonight.

Life now is somewhat similar to his days at UMass. Youngsters approach him for autographs, but instead of asking him about Marcus Camby, their questions surround rookie Keith Van Horn. The mere mention of the Utah product brings a smile to the coach's face.

"He's a very nice player and a very nice kid" Calipari said. "He really listens. If you show him something on tape, the next game he does it right."

Calipari said he was impressed with the performance of his former team.

"They're doing fine," he said, adding that he and current coach Bruiser Flint are still in regular contact.

After the game, Calipari and his daughter Erin, who accompanied him to the game visited the UMass locker room, where he gave the team some advice.

"He told Chris Kirkland and Mike Babul that they have to play hard every night and he told Lari (Ketner) that he can dominate," said senior forward Tyrone Weeks, who played for Calipari during the 1994-95 and the 1995-96 seasons.

"It's always nice to see him. I really respect what he's done in the pros. I never really rooted for the Nets before, but now I check for their box scores."

LUCKY NUMBERS: The Minutemen are 7-0 when they score first. Weeks put the Minutemen on the board with two free throws early ... UMass won its 75th straight game in which it has led by 10 or more points. The Minutemen and Rams meet again Jan. 17 at the Mullins Center. UMass has defeated Fordham in all five meetings since the Rams joined the Atlantic 10.

MASSACHUSETTS (73)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Babul           21   1-4   0-0   0-0  3  0    2
Weeks           28   7-8   2-2   2-9  2  2   16
Ketner          26   5-8   4-6   2-9  0  2   14
Clarke          28   3-7   2-2   0-4  4  4    9
Mack            28   5-7   0-0   0-4  5  3   10
Depina          20   5-5   0-0   0-1  5  3   10
Burns            2   0-1   0-0   0-0  0  0    0
Cruz             6   1-2   0-0   1-2  0  4    2
Maclay           2   0-1   0-0   1-1  0  1    0
Kirkland        15   3-6   0-0   1-2  1  1    6
Basit           24   2-3   0-2   0-3  0  4    4
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 32-52  8-12  7-35 20 24   73
_______________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.615, FT-.667. 3-Point Goals:
1-9, .111 (Clarke 1-4, Mack 0-1, Burns 0-1, Cruz
0-1, Maclay 0-1, Kirkland 0-1). Team rebounds: 1.
Blocked shots: 7 (Basit 4, Ketner, Clarke,
Babul). Turnovers: 22 (Depina 5, Cruz 4, Ketner
4, Basit 3, Clarke 3, Babul, Maclay, Weeks).
Steals: 7 (Clarke 2, Depina 2, Basit, Ketner,
Weeks).

FORDHAM (55)
                      fg    ft    rb
               min   m-a   m-a   o-t  a pf   tp
Griffin         26   2-7   0-1   3-3  2  2    4
Curtis          22   6-8   2-5   2-4  1  4   14
Pugh            26   2-5   0-0   0-3  0  3    4
Robin           37  5-12   6-9   1-2  2  2   18
Harmatuk        30   1-7   6-6   0-1  1  0    9
Harris          22   0-2   0-0   1-3  0  0    0
Olivares        15   1-2   2-2   0-2  0  3    4
Mack             2   0-0   0-0   0-0  0  0    0
Ziskunov        10   0-3   2-4   0-0  0  1    2
Demascio         9   0-3   0-0   0-1  1  0    0
White            1   0-1   0-0   0-1  1  0    0
_______________________________________________
TOTALS         200 17-50 18-27  7-20  8 15   55
_______________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.340, FT-.667. 3-Point Goals:
3-13, .231 (Griffin 0-1, Robin 2-5, Harmatuk 1-3,
Harris 0-2, Demascio 0-2). Team rebounds: 4.
Blocked shots: 3 (Curtis 2, Pugh). Turnovers: 17
(Curtis 3, Harmatuk 3, Pugh 3, Robin 3, Harris 2,
Demascio, Mack, Ziskunov). Steals: 7 (Harris 2,
Robin 2, Griffin, Harmatuk, Olivares).
__________________________________
Massachusetts      35   38  -   73
Fordham            23   32  -   55
__________________________________
Technical fouls: None.  A: 2,217. Officials:
Leroy Hendricks, Glen Horner, David Clark.