Men's Hoop Four-Game Win Streak Snapped vs. Robert Morris

Junior Shemik Thompson had 16 points and seven assists but league-leader Robert Morris stopped the Central Connecticut State University men's basketball team, 69-60, on Thursday night. Freshman Joe Efese scored a career-high 14 points in the loss for the Blue Devils, who had won four straight entering the game. Central returns to action on Saturday at 1 p.m. hosting St. Francis (PA) in New Britain.

A pair of scoring droughts for the Blue Devils led to their first home loss in the last three weeks. In the first half, they went 9:30 minutes without a field goal and watched a two-point lead turn into 12-point deficit. Following a bucket at the first half buzzer by Efese, Central trailed just 37-32 at the break.

In the second half the Blue Devils cut it to four, 40-36, with 18:05 on the clock. They went on another drought, this time lasting almost seven minutes, and when it ended the Colonials held a 17-point advantage, 55-38.

The Blue Devils would not go away, and a 9-0 run by Central helped cut the lead to 55-47 with 7:00 minutes to play in the game. But after the Colonials pushed the lead back to 12, the Blue Devils could get no closer than seven the rest of the way, falling to 9-15 overall and 6-7 in Northeast Conference play. With the win Robert Morris improves to 17-9 and 12-1.

Central made only 15-of-24 from the free-throw line in the game and hit on only 5-of-21 from three.

Thompson led the way with 16 points in the game for the Blue Devils. He added seven assists and had four rebounds. Efese and junior Markeys Deans each had 14 points. Deans had seven rebounds to lead CCSU.

Central returns to action again on Saturday, hosting St. Francis (PA) beginning at 1 p.m.