San Diego, Calif. – The
Robert Morris University men's basketball team continued play in the Grand Canyon Classic Wednesday night with a 65-53 loss to San Diego at Jenny Craig Pavilion.
The Colonials (0-3) shot just 26.7 percent (8-for-30) from the floor in the second half and could never get into a flow offensively in a game that featured 48 fouls called.
Trailing, 30-27, entering the second half, Alex Floresca scored the first bucket after the break with a layup to give USD a 32-27 advantage. A quick 6-1 surge by Robert Morris that featured a layup from sophomore guard
Dachon Burke, a pair of free throws from redshirt freshman forward
David Cole and a layup from freshman forward
Koby Thomas tied the game, 33-33, for the fifth time.
The Toreros were able to stem the tide by scoring the next nine points of the contest to grab a 42-33 lead. Floresca started the run with a layup, while Juwan Gray converted a pair in the paint for San Diego.
Freshman guard
Leondre Washington answered with a run of his own, scoring eight consecutive points to close RMU's deficit to 42-41 with 12:28 to go. He hit a pair of jumpers, a three-pointer and a free throw during the spurt.
LINK: Boxscore (PDF)
Despite converting just one field goal over a nine-minute stretch in the second half, the Toreros were able to keep the Colonials at bay by converting at the charity stripe. San Diego was in the bonus at the 15:51 mark of the second half and the double bonus at 11:06 and shot 76.2 percent (16-for-21) at the free-throw line after the break.
Cameron Neubauer would hit a pair of free throws with 7:06 to play that helped USD push its lead back to nine, 52-43, and the cushion swelled to double digits for the first time, 57-47, with 4:52 remaining after a three-pointer from Olin Carter III.
Yauhen Massalski would give the Toreros their biggest lead, 63-49, with 3:06 left with a layup off a feed from Isaiah Wright.
Wright garnered game-high honors in scoring with 17 points and also added eight rebounds and six assists. Massalski scored 11 points off the bench for San Diego, while Floresca scored 10 points. The Toreros shot just 36.7 percent (18-for-49) from the field on the game, including just 21.7 percent (5-for-23) from beyond the arc.
Washington's flurry in the second half helped him garner team-high honors in scoring for Robert Morris with 15 points. He finished 4-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-3 from deep, and 5-for-11 at the free-throw line. Burke chipped in 11 points and three rebounds for the Colonials.
RMU returns to Pittsburgh, Pa., for its next game, visiting the A.J. Palumbo Center Sunday, Nov. 19, for a 5:30 p.m. tip against Duquesne.
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