Blue Devils Drop Heartbreaker at RMU
CCSU will play their final two home games of the season next week
The Central Connecticut men's basketball team dropped a 53-52 buzzer-beating decision on the road at Robert Morris on Saturday afternoon. Central led by as many as 11 in the second half, but the loss drops them to 3-24 overall and 1-13 in Northeast Conference play.
RMU had the ball, down one, with 5.3 seconds left on the clock. A runner from Marquise Reed went in and out put the put-back from Aaron Tate bounced around the rim and went through the hoop for the RMU victory.
Central sophomore Matt Mobley led all scorers with 23 points in the game. He hit five threes and the Blue Devils hit eight in the loss. Senior Faronte Drakeford added 12 points while junior Brandon Peel had eight points and 12 rebounds.
Robert Morris improves to 13-13 overall and 9-5 in league play with the win. Reed ended the game with 18 points while Rodney Pryor had 15 and nine rebounds.
Mobley scored 15 in the first half for the Blue Devils on 6-od-12 shooting and three three-pointers. Central shot just 13-of-31 as a team but had eight assists on its 13 baskets to build the 30-27 lead.
Drakeford was 4-of-6 from the field in the half, good for eight points. Peel added four points and five rebounds as the Blue Devils held a slight 18-15 edge on the boards. They had six offensive rebounds that led to five second chance points.
RMU was just 11-of-26 from the field in the half and shot the game's only first half free-throws, making 2-of-2. Rodney Prior had seven points and eight boards before the break.
The Blue Devil lead reached 11, 44-33, after a three from Mobley. It was his fourth of the game and the eighth of the game for the Blue Devils. Central made its first four long range attempts of the second half to build the double-figure advantage.
An 13-4 run by by the Colonials cut the Blue Devil lead to 48-46 with 6:10 left in the second half. The Blue Devils managed just one basket over the four minute span as RMU climbed to within two.
Central answered with four straight to push the lead to 52-46. First it was Drakeford on a pass from Mobley, then Mobley drove to the bucket to score and make it a six point lead with 3:17 left.
The Colonials would score the final seven points of the game, including the buzzer-beater, to win their ninth league game of the season.
Central did not shoot a free-throw in the game, and the Colonials were just 2-of-2 from the line in the game. Central held a 34-31 edge in rebounds, led by 12 from Peel and eight from Drakeford.
The Blue Devils will complete their home schedule next week with games vs. St. Francis U on Thursday night and Saturday vs. Sacred Heart. Thursday night's game will air live on CBS Sports Network at 9 p.m. On Saturday the Blue Devils will celebrate Senior Day.