Struggles continue for Robert Morris in overtime loss to Illinois-Chicago

After losing to the worst team in Division I, Robert Morris looked as though Saturday night it would come out on top against a more formidable foe.

But even a big lead against Illinois-Chicago wasn’t safe for the Colonials, who followed up an embarrassing, 10-point home loss two nights earlier to IUPUI with a 96-88 overtime setback to Illinois-Chicago at UPMC Events Center.

“The hits just keep on coming,” said Robert Morris coach Andy Toole, who saw the Colonials lose for the fourth time in their past five games.

On Thursday night, Robert Morris this season became the first Division I victim of IUPUI, whose only other victories had come against non-Division I opponents.

The Colonials appeared to have the outcome in hand against UIC in regulation but allowed the Flames to tie the score in the closing seconds and go on to win in OT.

“How deflating and demoralizing was that?” Toole said. “They took over in overtime, and we were unable to rally and do the things necessary to win.”

Damaria Franklin scored 28 points, Zion Griffin finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds and UIC scored the first seven points in overtime and went on to prevail for the second time this season against Robert Morris.

Jace Carter added 16 points, including the game-tying shot in regulation, for UIC (11-15, 7-10 Horizon).

Kahliel Spear’s 24 points and nine rebounds paced Robert Morris (7-21, 5-14), which lost the first game of the season series with UIC, 80-75, on Feb. 3 at Credit Union 1 Arena in Chicago.

Brandon Stone added 16 points and nine rebounds, Michael Green III had 14 points and Enoch Cheeks chipped in 11 for Robert Morris, which wraps up its second regular-season schedule in the Horizon League with a pair of road games Thursday at Northern Kentucky and Saturday at Wright State.

The Horizon League Tournament begins March 1.

Robert Morris couldn’t hold onto several double-digit leads, including an 11-point margin (63-52).

“There were parts of the game where we battled hard,” Toole said. “Obviously, I don’t think we defended very well to give up 93 points. At the start of the second half, I thought we defended well, and that’s how we were able to build the lead. But then, sustaining that effort … we just slip away.”

The Colonials were ahead, 76-66, before Illinois-Chicago came back to tie it 81-81 on a 3-point shot by Jamie Ahale with 1 minute, 7 seconds remaining in regulation.

Green’s basket gave RMU an 83-81 advantage, but Carter stole a pass by Spear in the backcourt with 18 seconds to go and scored on a dunk to tie it again.

“That’s on both guys. Both share in the situation,” Toole said. “We had the ball, shot clock off, up 2, just have to take care of the ball, let them foul you, move forward.

“Every time there was a toughness play we needed to make today, other than a very select few guys, we chose not to make it. On that last one, Khaliel gives it to (Green) and Jace Carter makes the play. How about go run and get the ball, get knocked over, to the free-throw line and we all go out of here happy? Instead, we go out of here miserable.”

After a timeout, Robert Morris set up for a final shot, but Green’s short jumper was off the mark, sending the game into overtime, when UIC took control and never trailed.

“When bad things happen to us,” Toole said, “we struggle to bounce back and get to the next play. We carried that play all the way through overtime, and that’s why we weren’t able to perform.”