Boxscore
Smithfield, R.I. - Junior guard Karvel Anderson (Elkhart, Ind. / Glen Oaks Community College) scored 17 of his game-high 24 points in the second half, including a three-pointer with 18.9 seconds to play, to help lift the Robert Morris University men's basketball team to a 77-75 victory over Bryant Thursday at the Chace Athletic Center.
Thanks to the win, the Colonials clinched the 2013 Northeast Conference regular-season championship and will host each of their games in the postseason tourney as long as RMU advances.
Robert Morris also improved to 21-9 overall and 13-4 in the NEC, while Bryant dipped to 18-10 and 11-6 in the conference.
Knotted, 60-60, with 5:22 to play, jumpers from sophomore forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) and redshirt senior guard Velton Jones (Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast Catholic) helped the Colonials take a 64-60 advantage a minute later.
Alex Francis would convert a layup to pull the Bulldogs within 64-62, but Lucky Jones answered on RMU's next possession with a three-pointer to give the Colonials a 67-62 lead.
Frankie Dobbs would score four straight points for Bryant to make it a one-point game, 67-66, but Velton Jones converted in the lane with two minutes remaining to make it 69-66.
Dobbs would miss a layup on the next possession for the Bulldogs, and Lucky Jones came up with an offensive rebound and putback at the 1:01 mark of the second half to push the cushion for Robert Morris to 71-66.
That set up a frantic final minute of regulation.
It started with a Corey Manard three-pointer with 50 seconds to go that pulled Bryant within 71-69.
Out of a Bryant timeout, RMU used almost the entire shot clock before Velton Jones fed Anderson in the corner, who promptly buried his attempt from deep with 18.9 seconds left to again make it a five-point lead for the Colonials, 74-69.
Vlad Kondratyev converted a dunk for Bryant on the other end with 11.4 seconds to play to pull the Bulldogs within 74-71, and Lucky Jones was fouled on the ensuing inbounds pass. He hit both to give Robert Morris a 76-71 edge, but Dyami Starks came through for the Bulldogs, hitting a deep three-pointer with 6.2 seconds to again pull Bryant within two, 76-74.
Bryant fouled on the next inbounds pass by RMU, with junior guard Anthony Myers-Pate (Washington, D.C. / Charis Prep) hitting the front end of a pair with 3.9 seconds left before missing the second.
Joe O'Shea came down with the rebound for Bryant after the miss by Myers-Pate, and on his outlet pass junior forward Mike McFadden (Newark, N.J. / Technology) went for the steal but fouled Maynard with 0.2 seconds to play.
Maynard made the first but purposely missed the second, and redshirt senior forward Russell Johnson (Chester, Pa. / Chester) came down with the rebound to seal the victory.
Joining Anderson in double figures for Robert Morris was Lucky Jones, who scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half and also grabbed a team-high five rebounds, and Velton Jones, who added 12 points and seven assists.
Francis paced the Bulldogs with 22 points and 11 boards, while Dobbs added 18 points and eight assists. Starks also reached double figures for Bryant with 17 points.
The Bulldogs shot 59 percent (23-for-39) from the field but suffered 16 turnovers compared to just two by Robert Morris. RMU finished with a shooting percentage of 43.1 percent (28-for-65).
The Colonials conclude their 2012-13 regular season Saturday, March 2, with an 11:30 a.m. tip against Central Connecticut State at Detrick Gymnasium in New Britain, Conn. The game will be televised live on MSG and FCS Pacific.
