span.Normal1 {mso-style-parent:""; font-family:Helvetica; } span.normal10 {}

Brooklyn, N.Y. - A three-pointer from redshirt freshman guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School) with 2:44 to play proved to be the difference as the Robert Morris University men's basketball team opened Northeast Conference play Thursday night with a 70-69 win over Long Island at the Wellness, Athletic and Recreation Center.

The victory, RMU's first in an NEC opener on the road since 1998, improved the Colonials to 3-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play this season, while the Blackbirds dipped to 4-2 overall and 0-1 in the NEC.

LIU jumped out to leads of 7-2 and 9-5, but with the score knotted, 13-13, with 11:45 to play in the first half, Robert Morris used a 16-2 run to open up a 29-15 advantage. 

The Colonials did most of their damage from beyond the arc during their surge, as redshirt sophomore guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) drilled a trio from downtown, while Williams added his own trifecta.

A quick 5-0 spurt got the deficit back into single digits for Long Island, 29-20, but RMU was able to take a 37-26 lead into halftime thanks to a pair of free throws from both Jones and sophomore forward Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner) and buckets from freshmen Yann Charles (Longueuil, Quebec / Champlain St. Albert) and Anthony Myers (Washington, D.C. / Charis Prep).  

In the first seven minutes after intermission the Colonials pushed their advantage to 14 on five separate occasions, the last of which came with 13:42 remaining on a dunk by Thompson to give RMU a 52-38 lead.

The Blackbirds responded with a 14-2 surge to climb within two, 54-52, as Kyle Johnson found his range from beyond the arc. Johnson buried a trio of three-pointers, including a pair in back-to-back possessions for Long Island.

Jones helped squash the run with a floater in the lane with 8:56 remaining to give the Colonials a 56-52 edge, but Long Island took its first lead since early in the contest when Jamal Olasewere connected from long range to put the Blackbirds back on top, 58-56.

The final 7:29 of action included three ties and six lead changes, with Williams snapping a 67-67 deadlock with his third trifecta of the game with 2:44 to go. Olasewere would pull LIU to within one, 70-69, with a layup with just 56 seconds remaining, but in the final 21 seconds Long Island missed three attempts for a game-winning basket, including a pair by Olasewere.

Jones led four Colonials in double figures scoring with 20 points while also recording three rebounds and four assists. Williams chipped in with a career-high 13 points and four rebounds, Thompson added 12 points, four rebounds and a block off the bench and Charles finished with 10 points before fouling out.

Johnson scored 14 of his team-high 20 points in the second half for LIU, Olasewere chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds and Julian Boyd posted 10 points and eight boards. G.J. Garner added 13 points and four assists for the Blackbirds.

Robert Morris closes out a two-game road swing through Brooklyn with its fourth road game of an overall five-game trip Saturday, Dec. 4, with a 4:30 p.m. tip at St. Francis (N.Y.).

Notes: Senior guard Gary Wallace (Montclair, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep) left in the first minute of action with a finger injury and did not return ... Junior forward Lawrence Bridges (Detroit, Mich. / Columbus State Community College) did not make the trip after suffering a concussion in RMU's last game @ Cleveland State (11/29/10) ... Sophomore guard Karon Abraham (Paterson, N.J. / Harp Academy) did not play for the third straight game due to a violation of team rules ... The remaining seven players to see action after Wallace left the game were all freshman or sophomores ... Robert Morris shot a season-high 45.5 percent (25-for-55) from the field, including 43.5 percent (10-for-23) from beyond the arc ... The Colonials were a perfect 10-for-10 at the charity stripe, with Thompson going 6-for-6 and Jones finishing 4-for-4 ... Myers played 35 minutes off the bench and despite scoring just four points lead RMU in both rebounds (7) and assists (9) while suffering just a pair of turnovers ... Johnson finished with eight points and six rebounds and had his streak of double-figure scoring games to open the season snapped at five ... The Blackbirds held a 41-27 edge on the glass, including a 19-8 advantage on the offensive end ... Robert Morris held a 16-7 lead in points off turnovers and its bench outscored the reserves for LIU, 19-7 ... The win improved the Colonials to 14-16 (.467) all-time in NEC openers ... The last time RMU earned a victory in its league opener on the road came Dec. 5, 1998, with an 87-86 victory @ St. Francis (N.Y.) ... The victory helped Robert Morris avoid its first three-game losing streak since the 2005-06 campaign ... Four of RMU's first six games of the 2010-11 season have been decided by six points or less, with the Colonials 2-2 (.500) in those contests.