Dec. 30, 2007
Box Score
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Four players scored in double figures for Robert Morris led by 23 from Jeremy Chappell to defeat Lafayette men's basketball 88-76 on Sunday night at the Sewall Center. The loss snapped the Leopards (8-4) three-game win streak.
Junior Andrew Brown led the Leopards with 21 points, but the team shot just 35.5 percent from behind the arc. Lafayette was out-rebounded by the Colonials (8-5) 42-33 and committed 19 turnovers.
The Leopards led 35-34 at halftime despite surrendering 12 turnovers and being out-rebounded 25-19. The Leopards shot 43 percent to RMU's 33 percent, but Lafayette knocked down six three's in the first twenty minutes.
Lafayette stretched its lead in the second half to four points on three occasions, with a Brown three-pointer at 19:13 (38-34) and then again with a score of 41-37 at 18:40 as Michael Gruner converted three free-throw opportunities. A layup from Ted Detmer gave the Leopards their final lead of the game 43-39 at 18:02.
Lafayette had gone four minutes without a point until Bilal Abdullah knocked down a pair of free throws (49-45). Abdullah finished the night with 16 points.
Robert Morris extended its lead to 59-47 with 11 minutes left in the game. The Colonials outscored the Leopards 20-5 over an eight-minute stretch with five points from Mezie Nwigwie and A.J. Jackson converting on two at the line. Freddie Harris capped off the run with a layup.
The Colonials held a double-digit advantage for a majority of the second half and took a 13 point lead at 9:15 when Chappell sank his second trey of the night (64-51).
Lafayette managed to slice the margin to 71-62 after a Paul Cummins three-pointer. Abdullah was fouled on the play while trying to get in rebounding position, but he missed the front end of the one-and-one.
On a three-pointer by Abdullah and on a Brown drive and layup, Lafayette cut the lead to eight twice in the last four and half minutes of play. The Leopards cut it to nine again (75-66) on a steal and layup by Matt Betley with just under five minutes.
The Colonials pulled away with the 88-76 win, shooting 71.4 percent from the floor in the second half.
Lafayette continues the season against No. 6 Pittsburgh on Jan. 2 at 7 p.m.
GAME NOTES:
This was the first time Lafayette has played Robert Morris in men's basketball.
With 21 points against Robert Morris, it was Andrew Brown's fourth game scoring 20 or more points.
The Leopards have grabbed just 33 rebounds in five games this season (Fairleigh Dickinson, Central Connecticut, NJIT, Mount St. Mary's and Robert Morris).
Last season, Lafayette put together a three-game win streak, posting victories over St. Peter's, NJIT and Lycoming.
