Bronx, N.Y. - Junior guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, Ohio / Northwest) converted 11 of his 13 field goal attempts for 25 points to help lead the Robert Morris University men's basketball team to its third straight win Sunday afternoon with a 72-66 victory over Fordham at Rose Hill Gym. The win, which capped a 4-2 six-game road swing, improved the Colonials to 5-2 overall on the 2007-08 campaign, while the Rams fell to 3-4.
Fordham quickly jumped out to a 7-2 lead, but RMU scored six straight points to take its first advantage of the contest, 8-7, after a layup from senior guard Tony Lee (Boston, Mass. / Charlestown). The back-and-forth affair became a constant all afternoon, as the game featured four ties and 15 lead changes. The Rams had a pair of four-point leads in the early going, but the Colonials hung tough thanks to the hot shooting of Chappell, who scored 17 points before the break.
A dunk from Fordham's Sebastian Greene with 4:56 to play in the first half gave the Rams a 32-27 edge, but Robert Morris closed the half on a 10-5 run to knot the score, 37-37, going into halftime. Senior center Freddie Harris (Decatur, Ala. / Lawson State C.C.) was a key force during the spurt, scoring four points, while Chappell's jumper just inside the three-point line as time expired sent the game tied into halftime.
Sophomore guard Jimmy Langhurst (Willard, Ohio / Willard) scored five quick points out of the break, including a three-pointer, to give the Colonials a 42-39 edge, and a layup from Lee with 17:41 remaining pushed RMU to a 46-41 lead. Robert Morris held the lead the majority of the second half, but a 7-2 spurt by Fordham that was capped by a three-pointer from Brenton Butler edged the Rams back in front, 60-59, with 7:13 to play.
Fordham would only score six points the rest of the contest, however, as the Colonials responded with an 8-1 run to take their biggest lead of the game, 67-61, with just 3:27 to play. Senior forward A.J. Jackson (Monessen, Pa. / Monessen) scored three points during the spurt, while junior guard Bateko Francisco (Paris, France / Fort Scott J.C.) drained a wide-open three-pointer. Bryant Dunston helped pull Fordham within two, 68-66, with a layup at the 1:32 mark, but Chappell's layup on a feed from Langhurst with 22 ticks left helped seal the win for RMU. Langhurst added two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to give the Colonials the final advantage, 72-66.
Joining Chappell in double figures scoring for RMU was Langhurst and Jackson, who scored 12 and 11 points, respectively. Jackson added a team-high six rebounds, while Lee finished with nine points, five rebounds and a game-high seven assists. Fordham was led by Dunston, who scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
RMU returns home to the Charles L. Sewall Center for its next contest, as it hosts Central Michigan Wednesday, Dec. 5, for a 7:00 p.m. tilt. The Colonials will open Northeast Conference play Saturday, Dec. 8, with a 7:00 p.m. contest against in-state rival Saint Francis (Pa.) at the Sewall Center.
