Junior forward Joseph Ison (Baltimore, Md. / Labette C.C.) opened the game’s scoring with a layup off an offensive rebound to give the Colonials a 2-0 lead, but EKU used an 11-3 run to open an 11-5 advantage at the 15:43 mark of the first half, as the Colonels hit a trio of three-pointers and added a layup from Michael Haney. Robert Morris cut the lead to 13-11 with a 6-2 sput, but Eastern Kentucky scored five unanswered points to take an 18-11 lead with 12:22 before the break. RMU then used an 8-1 run to knot the game at 19, as senior guard Christopher Gooden (Houston, Texas / Eastfield J.C.) hit a three-pointer, Ison scored a layup and senior center Mark Anderson (Topeka, Kansas / Coffeyville C.C.) converted an old-fashioned three-point play to tie the game.

Zach Ingles hit a pair of free throws at the 8:33 mark to give EKU a 21-19 advantage, then used an 11-4 run over the final 5:42 of the first half to take a 38-30 lead into the break. Anderson opened the second half scoring with a layup to pull RMU within six, 38-32, but the Colonels scored the next five points to take a 43-32 lead with 18:10 to go. Eastern Kentucky eventually pushed its lead to 18 at the 10:45 mark with a 19-7 run that was bolstered by nine points from Ingles. The Colonials cut the lead to 68-61 at the 3:46 mark of the second half with a 17-6 run as senior guard Maurice Carter (Richmond, Va. / Eleanor Roosevelt-Md.) scored five points and senior forward Chaz McCrommon (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Schenley) added four points.

Eastern Kentucky responded with a pair of free throws from both Haney and Jason McLeish to keep the Colonials at bay before the final scored settled at 79-69.

Leading the way for Robert Morris was Anderson, who scored 19 points and added seven rebounds. McCrommon finished with 15 points, four rebounds, an assist, a block and two steals, while Ison contributed 11 points, five rebounds, two blocks and three steals. The Colonels were paced by Ingles, who finished with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 3-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc. He also added seven rebounds.

Robert Morris doesn’t get back to action until Wednesday, Dec. 22, when it travels to Evantson, Ill., for an 8:00 p.m. game at Northwestern.

Notes: Robert Morris shot 43.1 percent (25-for-58) from the field, while Eastern Kentucky shot 45.9 percent (28-for-61) … The Colonels won the battle of the boards, 45-25, including a 16-6 advantage on the offensive glass … The Colonials registered 11 steals on the night, while EKU finished with six … Robert Morris hit just four of its 18 three-point attempts, while the Colonels hit seven of their 20 attempts.