Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU men's basketball team opened a two-game series against Wright State Friday at the WSU Nutter Center, dropping a 79-70 decision to the Raiders. The Colonials slip to 3-8 (.273) overall on the 2020-21 season, including 2-6 (.250) in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Junior
Cameron Wilbon hit a jumper with 13:29 to play that tied the game for the fifth time, 42-42, but WSU used a 16-6 surge to open up its first double-digit advantage, 58-48, with just under nine minutes to play. The Raiders converted seven of their eight shots from the field during the salvo, with Grant Basile, the reigning Horizon League Player of the Week, contributing six points.
SECOND HALF SURGES
The Raiders shot 60 percent (18-for-30) from the field in the second half in securing their fourth consecutive win. Basile was the main offensive force, registering a double-double with game high totals in both points (29) and rebounds (10). The performance by Basile allowed Wright State to own a 48-30 advantage over RMU in points in the paint.
THE LAST MAN STANDING
Junior guard
Cameron Wilbon played 20 minutes for the Colonials Friday against the Raiders, finishing with four points and four rebounds. He is the only RMU student-athlete to play in all 11 games for the Colonials on the 2020-21 season.
JUMP START
For the second consecutive game, the Colonials came out firing from the opening tip. In the first five minutes of action RMU hit five of its first seven shots from the field in grabbing an early 12-2 advantage. Junior forward
Kahliel Spear, inserted into the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 1 in a 67-64 home win over Milwaukee, supplied five early points for the Colonials. Spear had his most complete game in an RMU uniform against Wright State, leading the way with 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks. He finished 7-for-9 from the field, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc, and was successful on his only two attempts from the free-throw line. Those two were the only chances at the stripe for RMU on the game.
BALANCED LEDGER
Two rookies scored in double figures for the Colonials Friday against the Raiders, with freshman guard
Kam Farris scoring 16 points and freshman guard
Trayden Williams registering his first career double-figure scoring game with 14 points. Combined, the duo were 12-for-23 (52.2%) from the field, including 6-for-10 (60%) from beyond the arc. Senior guard
Jon Williams added 14 points for RMU and also tied for game-high honors with six assists against just one turnover.
UP NEXT
RMU concludes its two-game set with WSU Saturday with a 5:00 p.m. tip at the Nutter Center.
Photo Credit: Joe Craven (Wright State Athletics)
Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube
