MOON TOWNSHIP – It was only the first matchup in history for Robert Morris and Jacksonville, but it was almost as if these two programs were rivals dating back decades.
In was an old-school, battle for every point between the Colonials and Dolphins as Jacksonville held on for a 74-65 victory. However, the contest took a sudden turn that led to tempers flaring and just five players left on both sides to finish the last six minutes of play.
Jacksonville opened up the second half with energy and seized momentum as they led by seven points, but a RMU 6-0 run with two buckets coming from TJ Wainwright followed by a Justice Williams layup, prompted Jacksonville to call a timeout.
With the UPMC Events Center crowd buzzing and TJ Wainwright showing his emotions, he was confronted by Marcus Niblack. In a matter of seconds, both teams were conjoined near midcourt with both head coaches enraged. Shoving ensued and a full-on brawl was ignited between two teams that have never met on the hardwood.
Every player on both benches was ejected. Head coaches Andy Toole and Jordan Mincy received technical fouls, along with Wainwright and Niblack.
After the malice was delt with, both teams turned to its last five players on each side. The Colonials kept in stride with the Dolphins as Markeese Hastings nailed a three-pointer that erupted the Colonial faithful.
However, that was short-lived as Jarius Cook drained a corner triple to push the Dolphins back up to a four-point lead.
Jacksonville closed out the Colonials and it was with an exclamation point as Bryce Workman would go back up with an emphatic slam.
For Robert Morris, it was its first time back home in two weeks as the Colonials looked to snap a two-game losing skid.
The Colonials got a much-needed shooting boost when Josh Corbin returned to the starting lineup after missing the last three games with a hand injury.
The 6-foot-3 senior led the Colonials with nine points in the first half, primarily from the charity stripe, but Corbin knocked down an impressive step-back three to push the Colonials ahead by three moments before the opening frame came to a close.
Robert Morris found success quickly inside to commence the contest as Hastings and Steph Walker cut inside and found open space allowing for easy back-to-back lay-in buckets to open the game.
However, Jacksonville adjusted swiftly and utilized its size advantage to breakthrough against the Colonials, scoring 24 of its 29 first half points in the paint.
As the Dolphins worked down low, they also found a way to go up top as DeeJuan Pruitt started the slam dunk party with an alley-oop slam from Robert McCray.
Seconds later, McCray stripped TJ Wainwright – one of 12 turnovers in the first half for the Colonials – as he took off for a breakaway slam to put the Dolphins up 15-13.
McCray led the way for Jacksonville with 25 points.
While the perimeter shooting was sparsely seen, the Colonials tried their luck driving into the interior of the Dolphins defense. The Colonials shot 45 percent from the floor in the first half and spent plenty of time at the free throw line, knocking down 10 of 12 shots.
Trailing by two points, Jacksonville pushed the Colonials in the second half as the Dolphins brought the energy and pace turning defense into offense.
After a Colonials errant pass intended for Walker was taken away by Gyasi Powell, the Dolphins ran the floor as Powell dished it off to Stephon Payne III, who finished with a two-hand slam.
RMU struggled all game holding on to the ball as the Colonials posted 20 turnovers on the night.
Moments later, the entirety of each team was amidst a melee. After things were cleaned up, the Colonials just didn’t have the juice to pull ahead.
RMU struggled all game holding on to the ball as the Colonials posted 20 turnovers on the night.
