A reeling Robert Morris team was in pursuit of its first road victory of the season with the Colonials visiting the Koessler Athletic Center to take on the Canisius Golden Griffins for a midweek non-conference tilt.
Despite a last-ditch effort from the Colonials (2-7, 0-2), Canisius (6-4, 1-1) held on for an 87-80 victory.
Difficulty beyond the arc continued to hold back the Colonials as they hit just 4 of 31 shots from that territory in the losing effort.
TJ Wainwright contributed two of the makes from outside on his way to a team-high 19 points.
Canisius, a team that averages nine 3-pointers per contest, continued that trend against Robert Morris after falling to a slim deficit minutes into the game. The Golden Griffins’ dynamic leading scorer, Siem Uijtendaal dropped in consecutive threes after Tre Dinkins hit the opening trey for Canisius.
With Canisius’ unrelenting shooting beyond the arc activated, the Colonials attempted to keep pace with their own opportunities from that territory. However, the Colonials continually watched their shots fall short and wide.
RMU hit just one triple off the hand of Josh Corbin on 15 attempts in the first half and it was not for the lack of open looks. There was plenty of them. It has become a troubling tendency for the Colonials that needs immediate correcting.
Needing a source of production, the Colonials found that from its inside presence with forwards Markeese Hastings and Stephaun Walker commanding the paint ending the first half each with eight points, respectively. The Colonials scored 28 points in the paint in the opening frame.
Once again Hastings was the opener for Robert Morris as he cut inside and received a clean dish from Jackson Last as he went up with the right-handed slam. Moments later, he elevated up to block a TJ Gadsen shot.
Hastings used his 6-foot-7 frame in the frontcourt and absorbed contact several times to finish with 14 points and eight rebounds.
As the Colonials jumped out with high energy, their demons continued to haunt them finishing at the rim in a 21-17 game. With an extended possession after Last picked up two offensive rebounds, the Colonials missed three consecutive field goal attempts.
Soon thereafter, the Colonials started to put a small 8-0 run together with Alfredo Boglio finishing on his best-looking bucket of the season as he received a pass following his inbounds play. He then took it towards the cup, finishing with a reverse lay-in.
Justice Williams subsequently added a strip and steal with a two-handed flush to put the Colonials up by three.
On the heels of a season-low scoring performance for Canisius – netting just 52 points against MAAC opponent Saint Peter’s – the Golden Griffins were running the floor with pace and attacking the hoop with Uitjendaal leading the charge.
Taking advantage of slow rotations from the Colonials, the senior paved his way into the teeth of the Colonials defense using his strength, collecting a season-high 24 points and five rebounds.
Down by seven points, the Colonials slow start in the second half allowed the Golden Griffins to climb to its biggest lead, after a Gadsen jumper made it 52-39.
Gadsen poured in 16 points and nine boards.
As quickly as the Golden Griffins mounted that lead, they cooled off, allowing Robert Morris to sneak back into the game thanks to a Wainwright three and a decisive drive and step through layup.
After Boglio drew a flagrant foul on a hard drive to the hoop, his two free throws shrank the Canisius lead to 57-52.
While Boglio’s makes brought RMU within striking distance, the Colonials could not sink their next 5 of 6 from the charity stripe, an area in which the Colonials have been successful for a majority of the season.
Canisius continued to play at arm’s length from the Colonials as Dinkins and Uijtendaal knocked down timely threes and then Youri Fritz found Frank Mitchell a step ahead of the Colonials defense for an open throw down slam.
Mitchell put together a double-double performance with 18 points and 12 rebounds. Fritz tied Mitchell with 12 rebounds and Dinkins added 15 points.
A last gasp effort from Robert Morris saw Corbin drop in seven consecutive points, including a layup after Last came away with a steal on an inbounds pass with less than two minutes to go in the game.
Trailing by five, the Colonials could not clutch up beyond the arc as Last continues to be denied from the scoresheet after he tossed up a three that was too strong. Outside of a late layup, Last was held scoreless for 39 minutes of the game, which followed up a performance against YSU in which he went 0 for 2 from the floor.
The Colonials were yet again of the wrong side of the rebounding battle with the Golden Griffins pulling down 44 boards compared to 34 for RMU.
Robert Morris returns home to face Delaware on Monday with tip set for 7 p.m.
