Marshall University Athletics
Marshall University
Robert Morris
Men's Basketball Drops Heartbreaker To Robert Morris
11/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Nov. 17, 2006
Final Stats | Quotes | Photo Gallery 
Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
HUNTINGTON - Senior Travis Aikens (Orlando, Fla.) scored 18 points for Marshall on Friday night, but it was not enough, as Robert Morris came away with a 73-69 win over the Herd at Cam Henderson Center.
Marshall falls to 1-1, while the Colonials improve to 2-0.
Aikens and the Herd led the Colonials by 15 with 9:58 to go in the game, but Robert Morris scrapped their way back, and tied the game after a 19-6 run at 67 with 1:35 to play. Mark Dorris (Cincinnati, Ohio) then made one of two free throws, but the Colonials once again responded, this time with a made three by Derek Coleman with 49 seconds to go to take its first lead of the game since 19:48 of the first half, 70-68. Jean Francois Bro Grebe (Abidjan, Ivory Coast) had a chance to tie the game at the free throw line, but missed the first of two shots with 25 seconds remaining. RMU then converted free throws in the final seconds of the game to come away with the win.
Marshall had a tough time converting from the field and at the free throw line, making 38.7% of its shots (24-62), and only 3-of-24 from beyond-the-arc (12.5%). At the free throw line, the Thundering Herd missed 17 shots, making 18-of-35 for a 51.4% clip. Marshall did outrebound Robert Morris, 52-39, but committed 22 turnovers, compared to 16 for the Colonials.
"We played poorly and shot poorly," said Marshall head coach Ron Jirsa. "Robert Morris made big shots at the end and we did not play with discipline at the end. Give Robert Morris credit. They made the tough shots at the end and we didn't have the discipline to answer.
"We took some bad shots in the second half, were not strong with the ball and did not communicate well. We had no sense of urgency. I didn't see that fire that you need to have against a team like Robert Morris."
"I am really proud of our effort," said Robert Morris coach Mark Schmidt. "We got off to a good start and hung in against a high level team. We got out to the early lead but then we got into foul trouble. We put some young guys in and they did a good job.
"In the second half we played some bad defense and got down about 13, but we showed a lot of toughness. A.J. Jackson was a force inside for us and we won the game on defense."
For Robert Morris, A.J. Jackson paced the Colonial effort with 30 points and 15 rebounds. Jeremy Chappell added 14 points, and Derek Coleman chipped in ten.
Other double-digit scorers for Marshall were Chris Ross (San Antonio, Texas) with a career-high 14 points, and Mark Dorris and Tre Whitted (Wilmington, N.C.), who each added ten.
"They just played harder than us," said Ross. "They wanted the game more than we did.
"We shoot free throws three times a week in the morning and put up 100 every time. I don't know if its concentration or what. Everything is frustrating after a loss like this.
"We can't dwell on this," said Jirsa. "We have to go to work. We play a tough team (California) on Thursday, so we have a few days."
Marshall takes on the Golden Bears late Thursday evening at the Carrs/Safeway Great Alaskan Shootout. Tip-off is set for midnight EST, and can be seen live on ESPN2.
