Photo Credits: John Konstantaras Photography
Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU men's basketball team concluded a two-game series with UIC in Horizon League action Saturday with a 66-62 overtime loss to the Flames at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago, Ill. The Colonials slipped to 3-5 (.375) overall on the 2020-21 season, including 2-3 (.400) in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Rob Howard hit floating hook shots on each of the first two possessions of overtime to help the Flames (7-4 / 4-2 #HLMBB) grab the lead for good, 60-56. RMU was held scoreless in the extra frame until the 2:10 mark, when junior guard
Dante Treacy converted in the lane to close the deficit for the Colonials to 60-58. Teyvion Kirk answered on the next possession for UIC with a turnaround jumper to keep RMU at bay, and the Flames got four free throws from Maurice Commander in the final 35 seconds to seal the victory.
HOW WE GOT TO FREE BASKETBALL
Junior forward
Kahliel Spear gave the Colonials a 56-55 advantage with just under two minutes to go in the second half with a dunk on a nice feed from freshman guard
Trayden Williams. It sent up a frantic final minute and-a-half of regulation in which neither team had much success converting at the stripe. Junior guard
Dante Treacy went to the line with 1:07 left in the second half and RMU up one but couldn't convert either of his opportunities. On the other end, Michael Diggins hit the front end of a pair of chances just a second after Treacy's two attempts, tying the score, 56-56. Both teams exchanged empty possessions to close out regulation and send the game to overtime.
THE ANATOMY OF OVERTIME
The Colonials dipped to 9-6 (.600) all-time under 11th-year RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach
Andrew Toole when heading to the extra frame. Included in that mark is a record of 3-6 (.333) in overtime games on the road. RMU has dropped four consecutive overtime games on the road dating back to a 63-59 victory at Mount St. Mary's (1/22/15) and all-time in their 45-year NCAA Division I history when playing in overtime the Colonials are 31-28 (.525).
A GAME OF RUNS
The Colonials grabbed their first lead of the contest on the strength of a 12-3 surge to open up a 28-21 advantage with 3:33 to go before the break. Senior forward
AJ Bramah scored eight points during the run as he reached double figures for the eighth consecutive game to open the 2020-21 campaign and 13th straight game dating back to last year. In the first 20 minutes of action Saturday against the Flames, Bramah led the way for RMU with 12 points and five rebounds.
THREE STRAIGHT
In addition to stretching his streak for consecutive double-figure scoring games to 13, Bramah notched his third straight double-double Saturday against the Flames. He finished with game high totals in both points and rebounds, compiling 23 points and a season-high 16 boards. Bramah has reached the 20-point plateau in four of RMU's five Horizon League games and is the first Colonial on record in school history to be averaging at least 20 points per contest through the first eight games of a season. Bramah enters next weekend's home games at the UPMC Events Center averaging a double-double on the year at 21.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game.
DOWNTOWN
RMU was unable to find its shot from beyond the arc in the two-game set against the Flames. Combined in the two games @ UIC, the Colonials converted just three of their 27 attempts (11.1%) from downtown. Freshman guard
Kam Farris owned two of those triples.
UP NEXT
RMU returns home to the UPMC Events to host Northern Kentucky for a two-game set. The Colonials will host the Norse Friday, Jan. 22, at 7:00 p.m. before concluding the series Saturday, Jan. 23, with a 5:00 p.m. tip.
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