Junior forward A.J. Jackson, sophomore guard Tony Lee record double-doubles in victory
Moon Township, Pa. - December 29, 2005 - The Robert Morris University men's basketball team opened the game on a 29-7 run and held a 42-13 halftime advantage en route to a 109-36 victory over Division III Medaille Thursday night at the Charles L. Sewall Center. The win improves the Colonials to 5-5 overall on the 2005-06 campaign, while the Mavericks fell to 2-7.
The 73-point win is the largest margin of victory for Robert Morris in its 30-year Division I history, eclipsing a 60-point win over Thiel (11/29/04), while the Colonials established Sewall Center records for points in a half (67), field goals (44), rebounding margin (+36) and assists (29).
During RMU's opening run, freshman guard Jeremy Chappell (Cincinnati, Ohio / Northwest) scored nine points and junior forward A.J. Jackson (Monessen, Pa. / Monessen) added six points. Jackson finished with his fifth double-double of the season in the first half, posting 12 points and 10 rebounds in the first stanza as the Colonials took a 42-13 lead into the break.
In the second half Robert Morris used a 32-0 run to take a 79-22 lead with 9:44 to play. Chappell and Jackson each scored seven points during the spurt, while RMU was paced by junior guard Steve Lancaster (Massillon, Ohio / Neosho County C.C.), who hit a trio for three-pointers for nine points during the burst.
Jackson and Chappell paced Robert Morris with 19 points each, while Jackson finished with 12 rebounds on the evening. The pair were two of seven Colonials to finish in double figures scoring, as Lancaster finished with 13 points and sophomore forward Cori Boston (Boston, Mass. / Charlestown) 12, while Lee, freshman guard Jonathan Clark (Charlotte, N.C. / Massanutten Military Academy-Va.) and sophomore forward Colson Sénat (Montreal, Quebec / Vanier College) each scored 10 points. Lee added 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the 2005-06 campaign, while Clark added nine rebounds and a game-high tying six assists.
As a team the Colonials shot 61.1 percent (44-for-72) from the floor, including 64.1 percent (25-for-39) in the second half, while RMU posted 11 steals on the evening, the third time in the last four games the club has registered at least 10 steals in a contest.
Medaille was led by James McNeil, who finished with nine points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals, while Scott Hack and Dennis Milford each scored eight points. The Mavericks shot just 23.6 percent (13-for-55) from the field, including 19.2 percent (5-for-26) from beyond the arc.
Robert Morris returns to Northeast Conference action Monday, Jan. 2, 2006, when it welcomes Wagner to the Sewall Center for a 7:30 p.m. tilt. It marks the 2005-06 league opener for the Seahawks, while the Colonials are 1-0 in NEC play thanks to a 90-85 victory at Quinnipiac (12/10/05).
Notes: Robert Morris improved to 4-0 at home with the victory * The Colonials tied a season-high with 13 three-pointers and over their last two home games have converted 54.2 percent (26-for-48) of their shots from beyond the arc * The 109 points by Robert Morris is the third highest point total in school history * The Colonials received 46 points from their bench against the Mavericks, as junior guard Terrell Rivers (Philadelphia, Pa. / Titusville J.C.) added eight points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, including 2-for-2 from beyond the arc, in just eight minutes of work.