Early fouls came back to haunt the FGCU men's basketball team as it dropped a 64-59 result to Robert Morris on Saturday night at Alico Arena. In a game that saw nine lead changes and nine ties, it was ultimately the Colonials' trips to the charity stripe in the final minutes that made the difference.
"We're frustrated because I think we are a better team than our record shows. I thought tonight we saw us take some positive steps forward in certain areas, we're just a play or two away, unfortunately, from really having success. I still think we are going to mature into a good team, but the scoreboard just isn't indicating that right now. It's hard to win games when you are young and inexperienced. These are some growing pains that I know frustrate our fans, who have been so tremendously supportive of us, but I do see a bright future ahead for us."
Though FGCU (2-10) opened up the night with a 5-0 run, Robert Morris (3-8) eventually broke the seal around the 17-minute mark and proceeded to take its first lead of the game shortly after. Redshirt sophomore Malik Hardy gave the home team a 21-20 edge with two minutes left in the first half, but the Colonials responded with an 8-0 run to take a 28-21 advantage into the break.
In the opening minutes of the second half, Robert Morris continued to find success on the offensive end of the floor and led by as much as 11 at one point. The Green and Blue slowly chipped away at the lead until a dunk from junior Justus Rainwater and an ensuing free throw pulled the home team within two at the 11:36 mark.
FGCU eventually took its first lead since the opening half when senior Tracy Hector Jr. found sophomore Zach Scott, who made a layup that put the team up 46-45 with just under seven minutes to go. The Colonials used being in the bonus to their advantage and tried to pull away with free throws until Scott tied things up once again at 49 points apiece with five minutes left in the game.
The teams kept things close in the final minutes of play. Sophomore Caleb Catto's back-to-back treys regained the lead for the home team at 55-54 with four and a half minutes to go, but Robert Morris' trips to the charity stripe powered the visiting team past the Eagles.
A free throw by junior Jalen Warren cut the edge down to just three in the final seconds of play, but the home team could not find the momentum to overtake the Colonials.
Despite the loss, FGCU held a 28-20 advantage in points in the paint, which was boosted by a perfect 5-of-5 night from Rainwater. In addition to his 11-point contribution, both Scott (14) and Warren (12) finished with double-digit points. The Eagles also held a 38-36 advantage in second-half scoring, but it wasn't enough to overcome Robert Morris' first-half margin.
Up Next:
Following an 11-day break for exams, the Eagles will hit the road to take on South Dakota State on Wednesday, Dec. 18. Tip-off against the Jackrabbits is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
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