Emmitsburg, Md. – The
Robert Morris University men's basketball team opened a four-game road trip Thursday with a 48-47 loss to Mount St. Mary's at Knott Arena.
Trailing, 25-20, entering the second half, the Colonials (7-15, 3-6 NEC) opened the second half on a 15-0 surge to grab a 35-25 advantage. Sophomore guard
Isaiah Still scored eight points during the run, draining a pair of three-pointers and converting a driving layup, while senior guard
Kavon Stewart scored four points.
The Mount scored its first points of the second half with 13:25 remaining, as Junior Robinson converted three at the free-throw line after a foul by freshman guard
Clive Allen. The three attempts at the chalk and then a layup from Robinson at the 12:55 mark, the first field goal after halftime for Mount St. Mary's, ignited a 9-0 run to cut RMU's lead to 35-34. Chris Wray supplied a pair of dunks for the Mount.
Stewart stemmed the tide for Robert Morris, banking in a three-pointer with 11:25 left to give the Colonials a 38-34 cushion. Still then caught fire, hitting a layup and then connecting from deep to push the RMU advantage to 43-38.
However, Robert Morris would hit just one field goal the rest of the game, and Mount St. Mary's jumped back in front, 45-44, when Elijah Long hit a pair at the stripe with 4:10 remaining. Long's three-point play followed to extend the Mount's lead to 48-44 at the 3:08 mark of the second half.
Robert Morris held Mount St. Mary's scoreless the rest of the game but couldn't get over the hump. Senior forward
Billy Giles made it a one-possession game, 48-46, with a layup with just over two minutes to play, and the Colonials had three chances at the chalk in the final 1:16 to tie the contest but were able to just convert one of their five chances. Overall in the second half, RMU went 2-for-11 at the free-throw line.
Even with the woes at the line, Robert Morris had possession with 5.5 seconds trailing, 48-47, and had a chance at the win, but Stewart turned the ball over, the 25th miscue of the game for the Colonials.
"Nobody in this building can say we didn't play hard tonight, but we came up short," head coach
Andrew Toole said. "It's frustrating. We just need to play smarter and finish. In the final possession I thought we could push early in offense because the Mount wasn't doing a stellar job of getting back in transition, but there was a miscommunication that led to us to calling the timeout. Even still, I thought we could have knocked down a shot, but it wasn't to be."
Still paced the Colonials with 14 points and added five rebounds, while Stewart finished with 13 points, six boards and four assists. Robinson scored a game-high 18 points for Mount St. Mary's.
RMU continues its four-game road trip Saturday, Jan. 28, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Saint Francis U at DeGol Arena in Loretto, Pa.
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