INDIANAPOLIS – The RMU Men's Basketball team advanced to its first-ever Horizon League title game after a thrilling 79-76 overtime victory against Oakland in the semifinals of the 2025 Barbasol Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship at Corteva Coliseum on Monday night.
The Colonials (25-8) overcame a 13-point second-half deficit and held Oakland without a field goal in overtime to secure the win.
Kam Woods led the way with game-highs of 23 points and seven assists.
Alvaro Folgueiras added 12 points,
DJ Smith contributed 11, and
Josh Omojafo chipped in 10. Allen David Mukeba led Oakland (16-18) with 18 points.
1st HALF
After falling behind 17-10 early, RMU responded with a 14-2 run, fueled by a pair of three-pointers from Smith, to take a 24-19 lead heading into the under-8 media timeout. Oakland battled back to tie the game at 30-30 and then took the lead on an Isaiah Jones three-pointer at the 3:37 mark, making it 33-32. The Golden Grizzlies carried a 38-34 advantage into halftime.
2nd HALF
Oakland extended its lead to 10 points at the 16:44 mark and stretched it to 13 after a Jaylen Jones jumper made it 53-40 with 15:14 remaining. RMU answered with a 7-0 run to cut the deficit to six (53-47) at 13:44. The Colonials continued to chip away, getting within three on a coast-to-coast layup by Woods that made it 58-55 with 9:28 left.
Trailing 64-57 with 6:29 remaining, RMU erupted for an 11-0 run to take a 68-64 lead at 3:08. However, Oakland responded with eight straight points to reclaim a 72-68 advantage with 1:28 to go. Ten seconds later, Woods buried a three-pointer to bring the Colonials within one.
After both teams exchanged empty possessions, DQ Cole was fouled and hit two free throws with 32 seconds left, extending Oakland's lead to 74-71. Woods then tied the game with an and-one play, converting a driving layup and the ensuing free throw with 18 seconds remaining.
OVERTIME
Smith opened the scoring in overtime with a three-pointer just 30 seconds in. Oakland's first points in the extra period came from a Jayson Woodrich free throw at the 3:53 mark. Woods answered with a jumper at 3:38 to make it 79-75. The Grizzlies managed one more free throw from Tuburu Naivalurua at 2:20.
With RMU leading 79-76, Oakland had a final chance to tie with three seconds remaining, but
Ryan Prather Jr. blocked Malcolm Christie's three-point attempt out of bounds. With 1.3 seconds left, the ball went to Naivalurua, but his game-tying attempt rimmed out, securing RMU's historic victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- RMU shot 40% from three-point range (10-of-25).
- The Colonials scored 19 points off 13 Oakland turnovers.
- RMU outscored Oakland 19-8 in second-chance points.
- The Colonials assisted on 21 of their 28 field goals.
- Woods played all 45 minutes.
UP NEXT
RMU will face Youngstown State (21-12) in the championship game of the 2025 Barbasol Horizon League Men's Basketball Championship on Tuesday, March 11. Tipoff at Corteva Coliseum in Indianapolis is set for 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
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