RMU Tops Men's Hoop on Saturday

The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped its eighth straight game and fell to 2-15 overall on the season with a 72-60 loss at home to Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon.  Central is now 0-4 in Northeast Conference play with the loss.  The Colonials improve to 7-9 overall and 3-1 in the league with the win.

Junior Brandon Peel posted his fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.  He recorded the double-double before halftime with 11 points and 11 boards before the break.  Senior Faronte Drakeford led all CCSU scorers with 18 points. 

Robert Morris led 33-27 at halftime after a late three at the buzzer upped their lead to six.  They led by as many as eight in the first half but the Blue Devils had climbed to within three with under 10 seconds to play.  The late three from Rodney Pryor gave the visitors the 33-27 edge at the break.

Central hit just 9-of-27 from the field in the first half, but was 7-of-8 from the free-throw line and had a pair of threes.  Peel had 11 points and 11 rebounds at halftime, his fourth double-double of the season.  Mobley added nine and Drakeford had seven.  Central had an 18-14 edge on the boards led by 11 from Peel, six of them coming on the offensive end of the floor.

The Colonials shot 14-of-27 from the field and senior Lucky Jones had 11 to lead the visitors. 

In the second half the Colonials scored five quick points and built the lead to 38-27.  Down 42-34 freshman Kevin Seymour hit his first three of the game to cut the lead to five, 42-37, with 14 minutes to play.  Following a three from RMU, sophomore Khalen Cumberlander hit his first three of the game to cut it to 45-40 with 13 minutes to play.  A bucket from Drakeford cut the lead to three.

The Colonials built the lead back to eight, but Cumberlander hit another three to cut it to 50-45.  A Drakeford bucket, on a Cumberlander pass, made it 50-47 with under nine to play.

RMU answered again, scoring six straight and taking a 56-47 lead with under eight to play.  With under four minutes to play the Colonials built the lead to 65-54.

Central had season-highs of eight three point baskets and 16 assists in the loss.  Seymour had seven and Drakeford and Peel each had three assists.

Drakeford led four scorers in double figures with 18 points while grabbing five rebounds to go along with his three assists.  Peel finished with 11 points and 18 rebounds, while Mobley had 14 points.  Cumberlander finished with 12 points, all coming on threes.  Seymour matched his career-high with seven assists.

Jones led RMU with 18 points while Elijah Minnie added 13 and Pryor had 11.

Central returns home on Thursday night hosting LIU Brooklyn at 7 p.m. in Detrick Gym.