Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU men's basketball team opened a five-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center Wednesday, dropping a 64-60 decision to Youngstown State. The Colonials dipped to 2-11 (.154) overall during the 2021-22 season, including 0-4 in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Senior forward
Kahliel Spear pushed the Colonials in front, 49-47, with 7:17 remaining with a kiss of the glass just outside the paint, but Tevin Olison knocked down a three-pointer on the next possession to push the Penguins in front, 50-49. The triple ignited a 9-0 spurt that helped Youngstown State (9-5 / 3-1 #HLMBB) open up a 56-49 advantage with 4:15 remaining. Olison added another three-pointer during the salvo, while Jamir Thomas converted in the paint on a feed from Shemar Rathan-Mayes, who grabbed one of YSU's 18 offensive rebounds on the night.
QUOTABLE
"An incredibly frustrating loss as it continues to get more and more challenging," RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach
Andrew Toole said. "We'll look back and see so many plays where we didn't handle our business. Whether it was not finishing with a rebound or making the right decision offensively. We'll continue to battle, continue to work, we'll continue to try to figure it out until we're not allowed to do it anymore."
GLASS CITY
Youngstown State held a 49-24 advantage on the glass, matching the highest rebounding margin by an RMU opponent in 12 years under Toole. Providence held a 43-18 cushion on the glass in a 77-68 victory over the Colonials March 25, 2013, in the second round of the 2013 National Invitation Tournament (NIT). The inside combo of Michael Akuchie and Jamir Thomas for the Penguins combined for 19 caroms, including seven offensive boards. The performance helped YSU outscore RMU, 19-7, in second-chance points despite the Colonials owning significant advantages in points in the paint (36-14), points off turnovers (18-10) and fast-break points (19-7).
QUOTABLE
"Part of their game plan was to go underneath and not allow driving lanes and challenge us to make shots," Toole said. "We've shot it at a decent clip most of the year because we've taken good shots for the most part, and I think today we had some good ones that we didn't make. We took some quick ones and some forced ones, too. I thought we really worked hard on the defensive side, and sometimes that affects the way you shoot the ball, but this isn't football. You don't just get to play one side. We were grinding defensively in the first half but couldn't make a shot. We got some driving opportunities to start the second half but then we didn't guard for that stretch because we were playing offense. We only play one side of the ball versus playing the complete game. Throw in rebounding, which you might equate to special teams, and it's muffed punts and blocked field goals."
DOWNTOWN
RMU grabbed an early 6-3 lead after sophomore guard
Kam Farris knocked down a pair of opportunities at the free-throw line, but the Penguins scored the next 12 points of the contest to own their biggest lead of the contest, 15-6. The Colonials held the Penguins to just 27.6 percent (8-for-29) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 4-of-14 (28.6%) from deep, but in the second half YSU improved its capacity from beyond the arc to 54.5 percent (6-for-11) and overall finished at 40 percent (10-for-25). Olison finished 4-for-7 from downtown in scoring 15 points, with Akuchie notching a double-double thanks to a game-high 19 points to go along with 12 boards.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
RMU was led by sophomore guard
Enoch Cheeks, who posted his second career double-double thanks to 12 points and 10 rebounds. He also finished with two assists and three steals. Cheeks was one of four Colonials to score in double figures, with fifth-year guard
Rasheem Dunn scoring a team-high 15 points, while Spear finished with 11 and Farris 10.
UP NEXT
RMU continues its homestand Friday, Jan. 7, with a 7:00 p.m. tip against Cleveland State and will also welcome Purdue Fort Wayne Sunday, Jan. 9, for a 1:00 p.m. tip.
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