 CORAOPOLIS, PA. – Ohio University overcame a 22-6 game-opening run by Robert Morris, but the Colonials broke a 74-all tie and went on to an 81-79 victory Saturday at the Charles L. Sewall Center.
D.J. Cooper and Jay Kinney combined for 47 points to pace the Bobcats (8-5). Kenneth van Kempen (11) and Armon Bassett were also in double figures.
Cooper, the MAC leader in steals, had six steals and eight assists to go along with 22 points. Kinney, meanwhile, shot a blistering 81 percent (9-of-11) from the field while throwing down 25 points. He was 6-of-7 in three-point tries.
Robert Morris (6-7) got big offensive performances from Karon Abraham (23) and Rob Robinson (21). Abraham made 6-of-10 from the field while hitting 6-of-7 behind the arc and 5-of-6 free throws. Point guard Velton Jones, meanwhile, contributed 10 of RMU’s 18 assists. Mezie Nwigwe chipped in 11 markers.
The hosts were successful on 20-of-30 attempts from the charity stripe, while Ohio converted 17-of-22. Robert Morris also had an advantage in rebounds (41-28) and points in the paint, where it outscored the Bobcats 17-2 overall and 12-0 in the final 20 minutes of action.
The Bobcats got off to a sluggish start once again, falling behind by 16 (22-6) before gradually grinding the lead down. Ohio tied the affair at 33 when Cooper nailed all three free throws after he was fouled on a long-range attempt.
Ohio took its first lead of the game five minutes, six seconds into the second half when van Kempen made one of two free throws at the 14:54 mark to put the Bobcats up 48-47. The lead grew to six (56-50) when Cooper completed a three-point play at the 12:33.
Robert Morris then made a key 14-2 run, with Dallas Green’s jumper putting the Colonials up 64-58.
Ohio later tied the game at 74 on a pair of van Kempen charity tosses with 2:19 left, but Abraham hit five of his team’s seven points during the Colonials’ stretch drive.
A crucial moment came in the final seconds of the game when the Bobcats, down two with 13 seconds left, rebounded an RMU 3-point attempt. Ohio pushed the ball up the floor, but Cooper’s game-tying pull-up jumper from the free throw line was waved off after he was ruled to have pushed off before shooting.
Ohio returns to action Wednesday when the Bobcats face IUPUI (7 p.m.) in Conseco fieldhouse.
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