Buffalo, N.Y. – The
Robert Morris University men's basketball team opened a two-game road swing Saturday with an 86-70 loss to Buffalo at Alumni Arena.
Six different Bulls reached double figures, led by CJ Massinburg, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds. As a team, Buffalo shot 51.7 percent (30-for-58) from the field.
The Colonials (6-5), who entered the game having hit at least 10 three-pointers in five of their last six games, finished 2-for-18 (11.1%) from deep on the afternoon. RMU didn't hit its first triple in the contest until freshman guard
Jon Williams connected with 1:22 to play. Williams would hit another with 15.6 seconds left.
"I just don't think we came out with the right energy or urgency today in order to win a Division I basketball game," Toole said. "We just didn't have the fight that I know I've seen from our guys this year, and that's the most frustrating part. Buffalo really hurt us in transition, and they did a really nice job of moving the ball around to get open looks from three."
The Bulls shot 62.1 percent (18-for-29) in the first half, including 50 percent (6-for-12) from beyond the arc, in grabbing a 46-30 edge at the break. Ikenna Smart gave Buffalo a spark, hitting all five of his shots in 13 minutes for 10 points, while Davonta Jordan led the way with 11 points and four steals.
Freshman forward
Koby Thomas pulled the Colonials to within 19-16 with 9:47 left before the break with a layup, but the Bulls used a 10-0 surge to grab a 29-16 edge. Jordan ignited the surge with a three-pointer, while James Reese capped it with a three-point play.
RMU scored the next eight points of the contest to close to within 29-24, but a triple from Reese and a layup from Jeremy Harris got the lead back to double digits for Buffalo, 34-24.
In the second half, Robert Morris twice tried to mount a charge, but the Bulls answered each time, with Buffalo grabbing its biggest advantage, 86-57, with 3:13 to play after a Massinburg three-pointer.
Sophomore guard
Dachon Burke paced the Colonials with 18 points and also added four rebounds, three assists and three steals. Robert Morris forced Buffalo into 25 turnovers, the second time this season an opponent has finished with at least 25 miscues. RMU posted 15 steals, as five different Colonials recorded at least a pair.
Thomas added 13 points and five rebounds for Robert Morris, while off the bench graduate student
Ronnie Gombe finished 4-for-6 from the field for a career-high eight points in 14 minutes. Junior forward
Malik Petteway notched a team-high eight rebounds and also scored nine points.
RMU closes out the road portion of its non-conference schedule Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017, with a 7:00 p.m. tip at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C., against N.C. State.
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