Albany, N.Y. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team concluded play in the 2K Sports Classic, which benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, Sunday night by dropping a 71-66 decision to Albany at SEFCU Arena.
The Colonials slip to 1-4 overall on the 2009-10 season, while the Great Danes improved to 3-3.
RMU grabbed the early lead thanks to a three-pointer from senior guard Jimmy Langhurst (Willard, Ohio / Willard), but 10 straight points gave Albany a 10-3 advantage at the 14:09 mark of the first half.
The surge was part of a stretch where the Great Danes converted seven straight shots from the field over a five-minute span, including six points from Tim Ambrose.
Robert Morris was able to keep pace thanks to the long ball, as its first four field goals of the contest and seven of nine in the first half came from beyond the arc.
In addition to Langhurst's three-pointer, junior guard Gary Wallace (Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) hit a pair, while senior guard Mezie Nwigwe (Hyattsville, Md. / High Point) added another.
Senior forward Rob Robinson (Waldorf, Md. / Globe Institute of Technology) converted the first two-point basket for the Colonials with 8:52 left in the first half, which trimmed RMU's deficit to 19-14.
A pair of free throws by Mike Black gave the Great Danes a 21-14 lead, but another basket from Robinson and a three-pointer by sophomore forward Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester) closed the gap for Robert Morris to 21-19.
Albany responded with a 10-2 surge to take its first double-digit lead of the contest, 31-21, and eventually entered halftime with a 35-27 advantage. The Great Danes shot 56 percent (14-for-25) from the floor in the first half and also received 20 points from their bench.
Will Harris gave Albany its biggest lead of the game, 39-27, with a pair of free throws early in the second half, and every time it looked like RMU was going to make a run, the Great Danes would answer.
Sophomore guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) would pull RMU within seven, 42-35, with 14:13 remaining thanks to a trifecta, but a free throw from Harris sandwiched between a pair of jumpers by Ambrose got the Great Danes back to a 12-point lead, 47-35.
Johnson would convert a layup for the Colonials with 6:14 left that trimmed Albany's advantage to 49-41, but a three-pointer from Harris pushed the advantage back to double digits for the Great Danes, 54-43, at the 4:14 mark of the second half.
Robert Morris would stretch out the final two minutes of action with pressure defense and the three-pointer, closing to within four, 67-63, after a three-pointer by Jones with just 18 ticks left on the clock. Albany sealed the victory by scoring its final 13 points of the game from the free-throw line.
Nwigwe became the fifth different Colonial in as many games to lead RMU in scoring with a career-high 18 points. He converted five of his seven shots from the field, including a 4-for-5 showing from beyond the arc, and was named to the Albany Sub-Regional All-Tournament Team of the 2K Sports Classic after averaging 11.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in the three games while shooting 61.1 percent (11-for-18) from the field.
Jones scored all 17 of his points in the second half and also dished out six assists and posted five steals. Albany was led by Harris, who posted 22 points and nine rebounds, while Ambrose contributed 15 points and nine boards.
Three games in three days now complete, Robert Morris will have 10 days off before returning to the hardwood. The Colonials are next in action Thursday, Dec. 3, when they welcome Mount St. Mary's to the Charles L. Sewall Center for a 7:00 p.m. tip in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams.
