Boxscore
Savannah, Ga. - Trailing, 43-24, with just eight minutes remaining, the Robert Morris University men's basketball team used a an 18-5 run to make it a two-possession game, 48-42, with 2:26 to play, but Savannah State held off the Colonials, 61-52, Monday night at Tiger Arena.
The loss drops RMU to 3-4 on the 2012-13 season, while SSU improves to 5-3.
Robert Morris shot just 28.6 percent (16-for-56) on the game but rallied late, as five points from junior guard Karvel Anderson (Elkhart, Ind. / Glen Oaks Community College) and a combined five points at the stripe from redshirt senior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) and sophomore forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) helped the Colonials close to within 44-34 with 4:34 to go.
RMU had an opportunity to cut its deficit even further, but junior guard Anthony Myers-Pate (Washington, D.C. / Charis Prep) was whistled for an intentional foul on Savannah State's Stephen Wilson.
Wilson hit both free throws, then buried a jumper to give the Tigers a 48-34 advantage, but five straight points from Lucky Jones, including a three-point play, made it a two-possession game, 48-42 in favor of SSU, with 2:26 to play.
Robert Morris would get no closer, as Savannah State shot 13-for-16 at the free-throw line in the final 2:11 of action to seal the win.
A defensive first half saw the Tigers take a 23-17 lead at intermission behind Preston Blackman, who shot 6-for-10 from the field for 12 points. RMU converted just 25 percent (6-for-24) of its shots before the break but were within striking distance thanks to forcing 11 turnovers.
The shooting woes continued for Robert Morris into the second half, as Anderson snapped an 11-minute drought without a field goal dating back to the first half with a three-pointer at the 15:14 mark that pulled the Colonials to within 29-20.
Savannah State answered Anderson's three-pointer with a 10-2 surge that opened up a 39-22 lead with 9:56 left, and the Tigers kept their cushion in double figures until RMU's late spurt.
Blackman led all scorers in the contest with 20 points and also added a pair of assists for SSU, while Cedric Smith finished with 10 points.
Robert Morris was led by Lucky Jones, who finished with a career-high 18 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and a perfect 6-for-6 performance at the free-throw line. He also added a team-high seven rebounds.
Anderson added 10 points and four rebounds off the bench for the Colonials, while Velton Jones contributed seven points and a game-high seven assists.
Savannah State shot 40.9 percent (18-for-44) from the field on the night and outrebounded RMU, 43-32, despite turning the ball over 20 times.
Robert Morris returns home for its next game, welcoming Ohio to the Charles L. Sewall Center for a 7:00 p.m. tip Saturday, Dec. 1.
