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Robert Morris University Athletics

Team
63
Robert Morris RM 0-1,0-0 Horizon
77
Winner Xavier XU 1-0,0-0 Big East
Robert Morris RM
0-1,0-0 Horizon
63
Final
77
Xavier XU
1-0,0-0 Big East
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Robert Morris RM 33 30 63
Xavier XU 39 38 77

Game Recap: Men's Basketball |

RMU Men’s Basketball Falls to Xavier 77-63 in Season Opener

CINCINNATI – Justice Williams scored a career-high 21 points and Markeese Hastings recorded a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, but Robert Morris could not hold off Xavier, falling 77-63 in the 2023-24 season opener at the Cintas Center.
 
Desmond Claude had a game-high 25 points and Gytis Nemeiksa added 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds for the Musketeers.
 
The Colonials came out of the gates by winning the tipoff and finished off their first possession with a Williams stepback jumper. RMU would build their largest lead of the contest at 14-9, capping a 10-4 run at the 13:38 mark of the 1st half.
 
TJ Wainwright's 3-pointer put the Colonials ahead 17-14, but Xavier answered with an 11-0 run to take a 31-20 advantage at 8:04. A Claude layup gave XU its largest lead of the half at 11 points before RMU was able to make it a two-possession game at halftime, 39-33.
 
Five different times in the 2nd half the Colonials were able to stay within six points, the later coming when Alfredo Boglio connected on all three foul shots after being fouled behind the arc making the score 54-48.
 
However, a 19-6 run capped by a Claude 3-pointer put the Musketeers up by 19 points at 54-73 with 6:39 remaining. RMU responded with a 9-0 run capped by Hastings' layup to make the score 73-63 at 4:21, but that would be the Colonials' final points of the contest.
 
Despite being outsized, RMU was able to outrebound Xavier on the offensive glass 10-7 and had 14 second chance points to the Musketeers' seven. RMU converted 86% of its free throws (19-22).
 
Up next, the Colonials return to the UPMC Events Center for their home opener November 9 against Point Park.
 

Season tickets for RMU basketball for the 2023-24 season can be purchased by calling the RMU Ticket Office at (412) 397-4949. In addition to a full slate of Horizon League games, the Colonials will also host an MTE Tournament at the UPMC Events Center as part of their 2023-24 non-conference home schedule.
 
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