Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU men's basketball team continued a three-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center Thursday by returning to Horizon League play with a 75-70 win over Purdue Fort Wayne. The third straight victory helped the Colonials even their overall record during the 2022-23 season to 7-7 (.500), including 2-1 (.667) in #HLMBB.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Tied, 45-45, with just over 14 minutes to go, freshman guard
TJ Wainwright connected for a three-pointer and on the next possession for the Colonials banked in a runner, both of which came on feeds from junior guard
Enoch Cheeks, to give RMU a 50-45 edge. The pair of buckets ignited a 13-4 run that helped the Colonials grab a 58-49 lead with 11:23 remaining. Purdue Fort Wayne was able to chip away, tying the contest for the seventh time, 63-63, after Anthony Roberts went 2-for-4 at the stripe over the course of six seconds with just under five minutes to go, but Cheeks buried a three-pointer to snap the tie and RMU never trailed again.
QUOTABLE
"Tonight was Horizon League basketball," RMU Pat Gallagher Head Coach
Andrew Toole said. "Every possession is going to be incredibly critical. We've talked from the beginning of the year about being solid on the defensive side. To be able to hold a team like Purdue Fort Wayne in the second half to 33 percent from the field and 30 percent from three is not easy. That's a credit to our defense. In the first half I thought they attacked us and put us in rotation. In the second half we did a better job guarding the ball. It's the ability to get stops."
DIFFERENCE IS IN THE DETAILS
The Colonials used the three-pointer to grab an early lead, as triples from Cheeks and sophomore guard
Jackson Last gave RMU a 6-0 edge. Jarred Godfrey answered with a pair of three-pointers for the Mastodons to tie it before a 12-0 burst gave the Colonials their first double-digit advantage, 18-6. Four different player scored for RMU, including five points from Cheeks, while senior guard
Michael Green III added a layup on the break to cap it. The double-digit lead was short lived, however, as Purdue Fort Wayne (9-5 / 1-2 #HLMBB) answered with a 20-6 run to grab a 26-24 advantage. The surge was capped by Godfrey, who converted a three-point play thanks to a jumper and foul.
MOVEMENT
RMU shot 51. 7 percent (15-for-29) from the field in the first half and finished 27-for-59 (45.8 percent) overall, but three different Colonials handed out at least four assists. RMU finished with 20 dimes on its 27 field goals, including six from Cheeks, five more from Green III and four from Spear.
QUOTABLE
"Purdue Fort Wayne does a really good job of forcing you to make extra passes and move the ball," Toole said. "It's something we talked about with the guys as we prepared that you have to give it up on time. If you keep the ball moving your turn for a shot or drive will occur. Toward the end of the game I thought we had two unbelievable possessions where we had moved the ball, were strong with the ball and executing on screens, which created a driving lane for Mike and Enoch. That's good offense for us."
1K
For the second time during the 2022-23 season, a member of the Colonials entered a game just one point shy of 1,000 for his career. Thursday against Purdue Fort Wayne it was Spear, who owned 999 career points and got his 1,000th at the 4:11 mark of the first half. He was sent to the free-throw line by Johnathan DeJurnett and hit the front end of his two opportunities at the stripe to reach the mark. In addition to his four assists, Spear contributed 10 points, six rebounds, a pair of steals and three rejections in the win over the Mastodons. He owns 1,009 career points at the NCAA Division I level, including 837 in three seasons with the Colonials.
QUOTABLE
"I knew that at the end of the last game I was one point away," Spear said. "It was fitting that I started at the free-throw line tonight and was able to get it right there. I was able to celebrate internally emotionally, but after that it was right back to work to get the win. This is the most selfless group that I've been with. You can tell and feel on the court that there is a consistency in everybody wanting to win. When that's the main focus for everybody, good things happen. That constant communication at all levels has been what's really helped us be successful this year. Player to player, player to coach and coach to player."
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Cheeks put the Colonials on his back late, as in addition to his three-pointer that snapped a 63-63 deadlock, his drive to the basket and layup with 1:05 to go helped keep Purdue Fort Wayne at bay, 71-65. He also sealed the win with a pair at the free-throw line with 17 seconds remaining. Cheeks established a career high in scoring for the second consecutive contest with a game-high 24 points while also adding five boards and four steals to go along with his six assists. Cheeks has now reached double figures in each of his 12 games during the 2022-23 season and 14 straight dating back to last year.
UP NEXT
The Colonials wrap up a three-game homestand at the UPMC Events Center Saturday, Dec. 31, with a 3:00 p.m. tip against Cleveland State.
Follow The Colonials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn | RMU Athletics Gameday App
