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Tuscaloosa, Ala. – the Robert Morris University men's basketball team concluded its 2013-14 non-conference slate Saturday with a 64-56 setback to Alabama at the Coleman Coliseum.

The Colonials, which dipped to 0-3 on its current road five-game road trip and 2-9 overall on the road this season, enter Northeast Conference play next week with an overall record of 5-10. The Crimson Tide improved to 6-7 with the win.

Trevor Releford sparked a 16-2 run for Alabama with nine straight points that turned a six-point deficit into a 40-32 advantage at the 11:01 mark of the second half. RMU turned the ball over six times during the span as the Crimson Tide went with a full-court press.

Sophomore forward Aaron Tate (New Bern, N.C. / Dodge City Community) helped stem the tide for Robert Morris with a jumper that pulled the Colonials to within 40-34, and RMU eventually trimmed its deficit to 46-44 with 6:40 to go when senior guard Karvel Anderson (Elkhart, Ind. / Glen Oaks Community College) converted a fastbreak layup.

Rodney Cooper helped keep Robert Morris at bay, scoring layups on consecutive possessions to give Alabama a 52-44 lead with 5:11 to go.

Shannon Hale would give the Crimson Tide a 54-45 cushion at the 3:11 mark after a layup, but the Colonials didn't go away, pulling to within 55-51 after junior forward Lucky Jones (Newark, N.J. / St. Anthony) converted a trio of free throws after being fouled on a shot from beyond the arc.

On Alabama's next possession senior guard Anthony Myers-Pate (Washington, D.C. / Charis Prep) picked up a steal off a turnover by Carl Engstrom, but Robert Morris couldn't convert. Myers-Pate missed a layup, and freshman forward Jeremiah Worthem's (Philadelphia, Pa. / Math, Civics & Sciences) putback attempt was off the mark.

Levi Randolph would follow with a jumper to push the lead for the Crimson Tide to 57-51, and the only double-digit advantage of the contest for either team came with 50 seconds to go when Retin Obasohan provided a dunk to give Alabama a 61-51 edge.

In the first half RMU's 2-3 zone flustered the Crimson Tide, who didn't record their first field goal until the 15:02 mark and scored just 10 points through the game's first 17 minutes. The Colonials jumped out a 9-0 lead and led the entire half, including 19-10 with 3:22 left before halftime after a layup from junior guard Charles Oliver (Scotch Plains, N.J. / Lakeland Community College).

Alabama finally broke the 2-3 zone in the final three minutes of the first half, using a 10-4 surge to close to within 23-20 at the break.

Releford led all scorers in the game with 18 points for Alabama and also added three rebounds and six steals, while Obasohan added 12 points and tied for game-high honors with seven rebounds.

Anderson paced RMU for the second straight game with 16 points, converting six of his eight attempts from the field, including 3-for-4 from deep, while also adding five rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Jones added 14 points, seven boards, two assists and two steals for the Colonials before fouling out. His rebound at the 12:45 mark of the second half gave him an even 500 for his career, helping Jones become the 17th member of the RMU 500-rebound club.

Its non-conference schedule complete, the Colonials continue their five-game road swing with a pair of games in New England next week to open Northeast Conference play. Robert Morris will visit Fairfield, Conn., Thursday, Jan. 9, for a 7:00 p.m. tip against Sacred Heart at the Pitt Center before closing out their swing with a 1:00 p.m. at Bryant Saturday, Jan. 11.