Smithfield, R.I. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team returned to Northeast Conference action Thursday night with an 84-53 victory over Bryant at the Chace Athletic Center.
The Colonials improved to 12-4 overall on the 2011-12 and 3-0 in the NEC for the first time since 2005-06, while the Bulldogs dropped their 12th straight to fall to 1-13 overall and 0-3 in league action.
RMU received a balanced attack offensively in the victory, as eight different players scored at least seven points.
Redshirt junior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) led the Colonials with 15 points and also added seven assists and four steals.
Early in the first half, Raphael Jordan converted a four-point play with a three-pointer and free throw thanks to a foul on freshman forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) to pull Bryant within one, 10-9, but a 13-0 spurt allowed Robert Morris to open up a 23-9 advantage.
Six different Colonials scored during the run, including a pair of jumpers from redshirt junior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester).
RMU eventually stretched its lead to 27-11 after a pair of free throws from Velton Jones at the 7:26 mark of the first half, but Bryant used the long ball to put together an 18-7 surge to close within 34-28 at the break. Frankie Dobbs and Jordan each hit a pair of three-pointers, while Clayton McMath added another.
Ben Altit would hit a jumper in the early moments of the second half to pull the Bulldogs within 34-30, but Robert Morris scored the next 11 points, including nine from Velton Jones, to again get its lead back to double digits, 45-30.
Meanwhile, the RMU defense stiffened, holding Bryant to just one field goal over a 10-minute stretch of the second half.
During that span, the lead swelled to as many as 36 for the Colonials, 77-41, after a dunk from sophomore forward Mike McFadden (Newark, N.J. / Technology) with 6:33 to play.
McFadden added 10 points for Robert Morris and was the only other Colonial in double figures scoring.
Johnson, redshirt sophomore guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School), Lucky Jones and sophomore guard Anthony Myers (Washington, D.C. / Charis Prep) each scored nine points, while junior forward Lijah Thompson (Philadelphia, Pa. / Monsignor Bonner) and freshman guard David Appolon (Philadelphia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter) both contributed seven points.
Jordan scored 21 points for Bryant to take home game-high honors, finishing 6-for-7 from beyond the arc and 3-for-3 at the free-throw line, while Dobbs added 10 points.
Robert Morris dominated the glass, owning a 41-26 edge in rebounding, posted 19 assists and recorded 12 steals on 23 turnovers by the Bulldogs.
The Colonials, 3-1 on their current five-game road swing, conclude their trip Saturday, Jan. 7, with a 3:30 p.m. tip against Central Connecticut State at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, Conn.
