RMU Advances To NEC Championship With 66-53 Win Over Bryant
MOON TOWNSHIP (93-7 The Fan) - Sophomore Kavon Stewart put on a show with 19 points, 8 assists and 7 steals in a 66-53 win over Bryant. The victory advances Robert Morris University to the NEC Tournament Championship on March 10.
RMU won its last five games and this will be The Colonials third time in four years to play in the Championship game.
"I think we are peaking at the right time," Stewart said. "We are a great group, people don't care who scores, we know people are going to have good nights and we just play for one another."
The Colonials showed a lot of energy from the tip-off and quickly established a 14-3 lead over Bryant 6 minutes into the game. From there Bryant went on a 19-11 run, including three makes in a row from behind the arc, which cut the Colonials lead to just 3 points with 4:19 left in the first half.
Stewart responded with a 3-point play to give the Colonials a 28-22 lead with 3:02 left in the first half. He followed up with 2 made free throws and RMU secured a 30-25 lead at half time.
"In the first half we built a lead and then all of a sudden it felt like as they came back we got a little bit on edge and there was bad body language and sad faces," RMU coach Andy Toole said. "When we went in at half time we said everybody take a deep breath this is a Semifinal Conference Tournament basketball game and we are up 5 at the half."
The Bulldogs came out strong in the second half with a 12-5 run to give Bryant its first lead of the game, 37-35 with 14:16 remaining.
It was a tight game for the next 6 minutes with both teams exchanging made baskets including a couple of 3-pointers from the Bulldogs. With 9:28 left to go, Rodney Pryor blocked a shot and took it full court for an assist on a 3-pointer from Stewart. The play gave RMU a 48-45 lead and the momentum for the remainder of the game.
"Even as the second half continued on and they fought back and took the lead, nobody on our side blinked and everyone just continued to play and do what they were supposed to do," Toole said. "That's what we talked about at half time and that's what we talked about the entire second half and that's what our guys did."
Bryant struggled from the free throw line shooting only 8-20 from the stripe while the Colonials shot 9-10. The Bulldogs beat Sacred Heart in double overtime on Wednesday, but head coach Tim O'Shea said fatigue was not a factor.
"Two days is plenty of rest, we just didn't make the free throws," O'Shea said. "Missed free throws are turnovers, they are change of possessions, they kill momentum, you have to make free throws."
The Bulldog's senior forward, Joe O'Shea fouled out with 4:59 left in the game and Lucky Jones made both ends of a 1-and-1 to give RMU a 57-48 lead.
Stewart got a steal and took it full court for an easy layup to seal the win.
"I was very proud of the way they were able to stay with our plan and actually increase the intensity and increase their urgency and pull out the win," Toole said.
Pryor totaled for 12 points and Lucky Jones scored 11.
Dyami Starks scored 19 points and Bosko Kostur contributed 10 for Bryant.
