Cold-shooting Robert Morris men lose to Illinois-Chicago

The Robert Morris men’s basketball team was playing its first game in two weeks Friday night. And it showed.

The Colonials shot 18 of 60 from the floor (30%) — including 1 of 14 from behind the 3-point arc — and couldn’t keep up with Illinois-Chicago, losing the Horizon League game 67-53. The loss dropped Robert Morris to 3-4, 2-2 in the Horizon League.

Robert Morris erased most of an early nine-point deficit and pulled within 26-25 with 3 minutes, 55 seconds to go in the first half. But UIC (6-4, 3-2) ended the first half on a 12-2 run.

With 5:46 to play, RMU was with 10 after a dunk by AJ Bramah. But UIC’s Jamie Ahale made a 3-pointer on the wing to all but decide the outcome.

Bramah continued his strong play for the Colonials, scoring 19 points — though he shot just 6 of 18 from the floor — and grabbing 14 rebounds. It was his second consecutive double-double.

Michael Diggins led four UIC players in double figures with 16 points.

The Colonials have a chance to get even Saturday when the teams meet again at 6 p.m.