Miami, Fla. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team jumped out to 10-3 lead Thursday night at Pharmed Arena against Florida International and cruised to an 88-61 win over the Golden Panthers. The 27-point win is the largest margin of victory for the Colonials against a non-conference opponent in a road contest in the program's 32-year Division I history and improves RMU to 4-2 overall on the 2007-08, while FIU fell to 2-2.

RMU posted a wire-to-wire win as senior forward A.J. Jackson (Monessen, Pa. / Monessen) opened the game's scoring with a three-pointer. It was part of a 10-3 spurt to open the game for the Colonials as junior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, Ohio / Northwest) added a three-pointer and senior guard Tony Lee (Boston, Mass. / Charlestown) and sophomore guard Mezie Nwigwe (Hyattsville, Md. / High Point) each contributed baskets. FIU closed its deficit to three, 12-9, after a jumper from Redd White, but an 11-4 run gave the Colonials their first double-digit lead, 23-13, with 9:43 to go before the break. Lee scored six consecutive points to lead Robert Morris during the salvo, while freshman guard Gary Wallace (Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) added a three-pointer. 

White's three-pointer pulled the Golden Panthers within seven, 25-18, at the 7:33 mark of the first half, but sophomore guard Jimmy Langhurst (Willard, Ohio / Willard) answered White's trifecta with one of his own to increase the Colonial lead to 28-18. RMU never let its lead get under double-digits the rest of the contest. Chappell's jumper with 1:16 remaining before the break gave Robert Morris a 37-23 lead, but a layup by Russell Hicks helped Florida International cut the Colonial advantage to 37-25 at the break.

In the first two minutes of the second half RMU quickly extended its lead to 20 thanks to the three-pointer. Langhurst hit a pair from beyond the arc, while Lee and Chappell each added a trifecta to give the Colonials a 46-26 advantage. Jackson's jumper with 14:48 to go gave Robert Morris a 55-30 lead, and an old-fashioned three-point play by Chappell gave RMU its largest lead of the game, 73-44, with 8:30 remaining.

Lee led four Colonials in double figures scoring with 21 points while also adding 11 rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Langhurst contributed 19 points on 7-for-7 shooting, including 5-for-5 from beyond the arc, while Chappell added 17 points and Jackson 15. As a club Robert Morris shot 60.8 percent (31-for-51) from the field, including 70.6 percent (12-for-17) from long range. FIU was led by White, who finished with 18 points, while Alex Galindo added 13 points and Erick Nsangou 11.

Robert Morris, with a record of 3-2 on its current six-game road trip, closes out its swing away from the Charles L. Sewall Center Sunday, Dec. 2, with a 1:00 p.m. tilt against Fordham at Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx, N.Y.