DES MOINES, Iowa – Robert Morris pulled off a dramatic overtime victory on the road Thursday night, defeating Drake 81-79 to snap the Bulldogs' 49-game non-conference home winning streak. The Colonials (1-1), led by a double-double from Nikolaos Chitikoudis, secured the win in extra time after Darius Livingston hit the go-ahead basket with under a minute left, ending the second-longest active streak in the nation.
 
1st HALF
The 1^st half featured two ties and three lead changes within the first 10 minutes of play. Robert Morris then took control with a 10-3 run, capped by a DeSean Goode jumper that made the score at 20-13. RMU later extended its lead to its largest of the half when Livingston's three-pointer gave the Colonials their first double-digit advantage at 38-28. Drake fought back with a quick 7-0 scoring run, but Ryan Prather Jr.'s final jumper of the half halted the run, sending the game into halftime with the Colonials leading, 40-35.
 
2nd HALF
The second half began with Robert Morris building a solid lead, which reached its peak at 50-42 following a three-pointer from Ta'Zir Smith. However, Drake mounted a significant comeback, utilizing a 10-0 run capped by a Griffen Goodbary dunk to take a 52-50 lead—their first since the score was 7-6 in the first half. By the midway point, Drake's momentum continued as they stretched the lead to six points, completing a dominant 16-2 run over a four-minute span. Robert Morris fought back, and Albert Vargas regained the lead for RMU with a clutch three-pointer at the 6:20 mark, making the score 61-60. The final minutes were intensely competitive, featuring three more ties and two lead changes until the score locked at 68-68. Chitikoudis had an opportunity to win the game at the buzzer for RMU, but his shot ultimately fell short, sending the contest into overtime.
 
OVERTIME
The overtime period was a back-and-forth battle featuring four separate lead changes. The decisive basket came with just 59 seconds remaining when Livingston hit the go-ahead shot for Robert Morris. Drake had a chance to regain the lead, but Jaehshon Thomas's three-point jumper missed with 37 seconds on the clock, giving possession back to RMU with 34 seconds left. Although Livingston missed a jumper with three seconds remaining, Goode secured the crucial defensive rebound as time expired, allowing Robert Morris to hold on for the victory.
 
HEAD COACH ANDY TOOLE
"I am so proud of our team, the way they stayed together and when we got down eight in that second half, we were able to kind of right our ship. Our urgency defensively was so much better than the other night, and that got us going, and then that got us back in when we were down. We'll enjoy the win, but we'll make sure we keep our focus on how we continue to improve and get better."
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Chitikoudis finished with team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds
• Goode recorded a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds
• Vargas scored 12 points, all from 3-point range
• Ryan Prather Jr had career highs with nine rebounds and seven assists
• Drake's last non-conference home loss was December 19, 2016 against South Dakota State

 
UP NEXT
RMU kicks off its home slate at the UPMC Events Center, starting with the home opener on Monday, November 10 against Geneva. The Colonials continue their homestand on Thursday, November 13 when they host Pitt Greensburg. Both games tip off at 7 p.m.
 
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