Hackensack, N.J. - Bolstered by 38 points from its reserves, the Robert Morris University men's basketball team stretched its winning streak to a season-high four games Thursday night with a 65-50 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson at Stratis Arena.
The Colonials improved to 11-8 overall on the 2009-10 campaign with the win, including 6-1 in the Northeast Conference, while the Knights fell to 4-15 overall and 3-4 in the league.
Redshirt freshman Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester) hit all five of his shots from the field in the first half and scored 11 of his team-high 15 points before the break to lead the way in the victory while also recording his second career double-double with 11 rebounds.
Junior guard Gary Wallace (Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) added 13 points off the bench as the Robert Morris reserves combined to shoot 56.5 percent (13-for-23) from the floor.
Trailing, 21-19, with 6:49 left in the first half, the Colonials closed the stanza on a 13-4 run to take a 32-25 lead into halftime.
Johnson started the run with a layup to tie the score, then added a pair of baskets, including a three-pointer, 31 seconds apart to give RMU a 29-22 advantage.
Alvin Mofunanya would pull FDU within four, 29-25, with a three-point play, but a jumper from freshman forward Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner) and a 1-for-2 showing at the free-throw line by senior guard Mezie Nwigwe (Hyattsville, Md. / High Point) gave Robert Morris its seven-point cushion at intermission.
The lead swelled to double digits in the opening minutes of the second half, 37-25, as RMU scored the first five points out of the break, including a jumper from freshman guard Karon Abraham (Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy) and a fastbreak dunk by senior forward Dallas Green (Indianapolis, Indiana / Northwest) on a feed from Nwigwe.
The Knights trimmed their deficit to seven after a 30-second timeout thanks to a three-pointer from Mike Scott and a layup from Mofunanya but could get no closer the rest of the contest.
Robert Morris had a pair of 18-point advantages in the second half, both coming courtesy of Wallace. His jumper with 6:05 remaining gave the Colonials a 57-39 lead, while his layup with just 33 seconds to go off an offensive rebound pushed the RMU lead to 65-47 before DeShawn Dockery closed out the scoring with a three-pointer for FDU.
The first half featured seven ties and five lead changes, with the largest lead for Fairleigh Dickinson coming with just under six minutes gone by in the first half when Terence Grier gave the Knights an early 9-4 lead with a layup.
Grier and Scott led all scorers in the game with 16 points each, while Mofunanya posted 11 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks for FDU.
Johnson converted seven of his 10 shots from the floor for Robert Morris, while Abraham and redshirt freshman Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) each chipped in with nine points. Despite finishing with just three points, Nwigwe grabbed six rebounds and led RMU in both assists (4) and steals (4).
As a club Robert Morris shot just 36.4 percent (20-for-55) from the field, marking the first time on the 2009-10 campaign the Colonials failed to shoot 40 percent but earned a victory. Fairleigh Dickinson shot just 34 percent (16-for-47).
RMU dominated the glass, posting a season-high 46 rebounds compared to 32 for the Knights, with Green adding eight caroms to go along with Johnson's 11.
The Colonials conclude their two-game swing through New Jersey when they travel to West Long Branch, N.J., for a 4:00 p.m. tip against Monmouth at the M.A.C. Saturday, Jan. 23.
