Boxscore
Hampton, Va. - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team stretched its winning streak to a season-high three games Saturday afternoon with a 66-54 victory over Hampton at the HU Convocation Center.
The Colonials improved to 6-4 overall on the 2012-13 campaign with the win, while the Pirates slipped to 1-6.
Hampton converted five of its first seven shots from the floor in jumping out to an 11-6 advantage in the opening minutes of the contest. Dwight Meikle scored the first five points of the game for the Pirates, while Deron Powers scored four points.
Despite the early deficit, RMU responded with a 19-1 run that allowed the Colonials to open up their first double-digit lead of the game, 25-12, at the 6:36 mark of the first half.
Junior forward Mike McFadden (Newark, N.J. / Technology) started the spurt with a dunk and scored five points during the run, while junior guard Coron Williams (Midlothian, Va. / Christchurch School) added five points of his own.
Meanwhile, Hampton went over nine minutes without a field goal en route to a shooting percentage of just 30 percent (9-for-30) in the first half. Despite the deficit, the Pirates closed to within 29-21 at halftime thanks to five points from David Bruce.
Hampton kept up the pressure to open the second half, using a 10-5 spurt to make it a one-possession game at the 15:49 mark, 34-31. Ramon Mercado hit a pair of three-pointers to help bolster the Pirates.
Robert Morris quickly pushed its lead back to double digits on three consecutive possessions, as a pair of free throws from redshirt senior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester), a layup from McFadden and a three-pointer from sophomore guard David Appolon (Philadelphia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter) gave the Colonials a 41-31 cushion.
RMU took its biggest lead with 7:33 to play after a jumper from Williams extended the advantage to 54-36, and the Pirates were unable to get their deficit under double digits the rest of the way.
Williams and junior guard Karvel Anderson (Elkhart, Ind. / Glen Oaks Community College) tied for team-high honors in scoring with 12 points each, combining to shoot 8-for-16 from the field, including 6-for-11 from beyond the arc.
Anderson added six rebounds, two assists and two steals for Robert Morris, while sophomore forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) scored all 10 of his points after halftime and added a team-high seven rebounds and three steals.
Hampton was led by Mercado, who finished with a game-high 13 points but shot just 4-of-13 from the floor, including 3-for-11 from beyond the arc.
Robert Morris is now off for finals and returns to action Saturday, Dec. 15, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against crosstown rival Duquesne at the Charles L. Sewall Center.
