Pittsburgh, Pa. – Canisius shot 55.4 percent (31-for-56) from the field and had four players reach double figures Friday in posting a 76-62 victory over the
Robert Morris University men's basketball team at the A.J. Palumbo Center.
Freshman guard
Leondre Washington gave the Colonials (6-7), who have dropped three consecutive games, a 24-21 lead at the 5:59 mark of the first half with a layup.
The Golden Griffins (6-7) were able to take control by hanging a 16-2 run to open up a 37-26 advantage with just 48 second left before halftime. Six different Canisius players scored during the surge, which was ignited by a Malik Johnson three-pointer.
RMU got a pair of free throws from Washington with 34 seconds left in the first half to trim its deficit to 37-29 at the break.
Early in the second half, Robert Morris was able to close to within 40-35 after sophomore guard
Dachon Burke scored with a driving layup at the 16:56 mark, but a pair of free throws from Selvedin Planincic, a layup from Isaiah Reese and a Jermaine Crumpton three-pointer pushed the lead for Canisius back to double digits, 47-35.
The Golden Griffins kept the Colonials at bay the rest of the game, with RMU's last charge coming with under seven minutes to go.
Freshman forward
Koby Thomas connected from beyond the arc and Burke went 1-for-2 at the free-throw line to pull Robert Morris to within 60-53, but on the next possession for Canisius Jonathan Sanks connected from deep to again give the Golden Griffins a double-digit cushion, 63-53.
"We were not crisp in any way shape or form, offensively or defensively," head coach
Andrew Toole said. "We gambled for every steal possible, and they just carved us up. We got exposed and we got embarrassed. Now you really see what you've got. Really disappointed in the effort with our team tonight. I'm not sure there's a positive I can find throughout the course of this game."
Thomas was the only player to reach double figures for the Colonials, as he posted game highs in both points (20) and rebounds (8). Burke had his streak of double-figure scoring games snapped at 11 by finishing with nine points, while freshman guard
Jon Williams also scored nine points with a 3-for-5 shooting performance from beyond the arc.
Canisius was led by Reese, who finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three stals. Johnson added 13 points, Planincic scored 11 and Crumpton finished with 10.
The non-conference slate now complete, RMU opens Northeast Conference play with a two-game road trip. The Colonials visit Smithfield, R.I., Friday, Dec. 29, for a 3:00 p.m. tip against Bryant at the Chace Athletic Center. Robert Morris concludes the two-game swing and a stretch of 12 of its first 15 games of the year on the road Sunday, Dec. 31, with a 3:30 p.m. tip at Central Connecticut State.
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