Memphis, Tenn. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team saw its three-game winning streak snapped Thursday night with a 64-47 setback to Memphis at the FedExForum.
The Colonials dipped to 10-4 overall on the 2011-12 campaign with the loss, while the Tigers improved to 7-5.
Will Barton had 27 points and 13 rebounds and Memphis held Robert Morris under 20 percent shooting for most of the game.
Barton was 10-of-15 from the field, including a career-high five three-pointers. Adonis Thomas added 15 for the Tigers, who hit 11 of their first 16 shots in the second half to put the game away, eventually leading by 28 points.
Freshman forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) was the only Robert Morris player in double figures, scoring 10 points.
Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic), the Colonials leading scorer at 16.6 points a game coming in, saw his streak of 19 straight games in double figures snapped. He recorded seven points, hitting only 2-of-13 shots from the field.
The Colonials finished the night shooting a season-low 23.2 percent (16-of-69), including 16.7 percent from beyond the arc (3-of-18).
Part of Robert Morris' poor shooting came due to Memphis' interior defense, which tallied a season-high 13 blocks, including a career-high seven by Tarik Black.
The Memphis defense offset 20 Tigers turnovers, and allowed the Colonials to corral 23 offensive boards. Still, Memphis outrebounded Robert Morris, 42-39.
Robert Morris struggled from the field from the outset, ending the first half at 19.4 percent shooting (6-of-31). Memphis shot 47.8 percent (11-of-23) before intermission.
That helped the Tigers take a 32-18 lead into the locker room. Barton had 15 at halftime to lead Memphis.
Part of the problem for Robert Morris was a Memphis defense that was turning away shots at the rim. The Tigers blocked eight shots in the half.
RMU continues a five-game road trip by closing out the non-conference portion of its schedule Monday, Jan. 2, 2012, with a 7:00 p.m. tip at Ohio.
